SINGAPORE: A young man, unsure how to handle his mum’s reactions whenever he refuses to share a portion of his National Service pay with her, turned to social media to seek advice.
“Lately I’ve been giving my mum small amount of my NS pay, and whenever I say to her that I can’t pay her any money, she will either grumble or kick up a fuss about it,” the young man shared on r/NationalServiceSG on Friday (March 29).
“She’ll sometimes says that me being in NS means I am “working like a part time job instead of serving for the nation” and that she expect me to give her money from my NS pay.”
The young man also shared that the situation had reached a point where he felt overwhelmed with stress and lost in contemplation, questioning whether he should feel guilty about sharing a portion of his National Service pay with his mother.
“What are your thoughts yall, do yall pay your parents your ns pay or nah? and also give me any advice please, appreciate it.”
“755 is not part time pay. As our ministers say it is meant for basic upkeep”
In the discussion thread, Singaporean Redditors reassured him that he was not obligated to provide his mother with any financial support.
They pointed out that men in NS receive relatively modest pay, which is often insufficient to adequately meet their own needs. Therefore, allocating a portion of his pay to his mother would impact his living standard and financial stability.
One individual said, “755 is not part time pay. As our ministers say it is meant for basic upkeep.”
Another individual questioned why the young man’s mother would be upset about not receiving money from him, especially considering the limited earnings of NS men. They asked, “Is she lacking money or what?”
Adding a touch of humour to the conversation, one individual joked, “… already get paid so little. If I give them a portion of my allowance I need to eat grass already.”
Furthermore, several Redditors shared their personal experiences, saying that their parents never requested a share of their National Service (NS) pay, even when their mothers were housewives.
One individual also suggested that the young man’s mother might strongly believe in “filial piety,” which could explain why she feels upset when her son doesn’t give her money.
In related news, a young Singaporean also took to social media earlier this year to vent about one of the customs of filial piety, stating that it’s unfair for children to take care of their parents.
On an online forum, he said, “It looks like we are bred to be part of their retirement plan.”