In a commentary, SMU President Professor Lily Kong argued that Singaporeans may feel more supported to have children if schools, workplaces and extended families are located closer to their homes. Prof Kong observed that when essential services such as schools, childcare, healthcare, workplaces and shops are spread out, families must constantly bridge distances, adding time, stress and uncertainty to already full schedules. She wrote that when everyday routines become a continuous negotiation of distance and time, the experience of raising children can become burdensome. She also highlighted that Singapore’s housing policies have long recognised the importance of intergenerational proximity, encouraging families to live near parents through schemes such as the Family Care Scheme.
Prof Kong further argued that even within the framework of the 15-minute city, Singapore can go further by improving experiential, and not just physical, proximity through better shelter, cooling and accessibility, especially in older estates. She also argued that time poverty — shaped by long working hours and always-on work cultures — must be part of any serious reset, as financial support alone cannot buy back time for caregiving and family life. She concluded that designing for proximity, reducing time burdens and strengthening everyday support systems are not quick fixes, as they require coordination across housing, transport, manpower and social policy. More fundamentally, she argued for a shift in emphasis: from viewing fertility primarily as a matter of incentives or attitudes, to recognising it as a reflection of how people experience their everyday lives.