Strong families are the foundation for healthy lives and wholesome communities. They give security and meaning to life, and are the "base camp" from which our young venture forth to reach for high aspirations. They are also the conduit through which our elderly pass on the values and lessons they have learnt in life. Strong families ensure that our children grow up happy and well, and that our elders enjoy respect and dignity. They are an irreplaceable source of care and support. We are fortunate that our families remain strong. But we cannot take them for granted. We must ensure they strengthen further because the 21st century will bring greater pressures on them. Families will be smaller and in most cases both parents will be working. Their jobs will be more demanding. Children will be open to more influences and will be harder to manage. To cope with these pressures, we must constantly reinforce family bonding. Government policies must reflect this emphasis. Employers too must play their part. |
