By Naseema Banu Maideen
It is every mother’s dream to play the most active role in her child’s years of growing up. And this dream does not always come true for every working mother.
But it did for Ms Chew Li Ling, 42, a Principal Medical Social Worker who works in Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
The mother of two children, Theodore, 10, and Tammy, 7, recalls how she yearned to witness the moments that her mother, who was minding her children while she was at work, used to share with her.
“By the time I got home, I would hear about their day from, a second-hand source, my mother. I wanted so much to be there when they were spontaneous and enthusiastic in sharing their stories. I know once I pass this stage of their lives, there is no way I would get it back,” she said.
Since 2010, Ms Chew decided she would not miss these stages in her children’s lives anymore – she went on a permanent flexi-work arrangement to work only in the mornings.
This was an option that her supervisor, Ms Esther Lim, Head of Medical Social Services Head was totally comfortable with.
There are currently four Medical Social Workers and three Social Work Assistants under this scheme in SGH.
Ms Chew tends to HIV-positive patients; her job scope involves counselling, psycho-assessment and providing financial assistance for these patients.
She added: “I am very blessed to work in a department which is cohesive and supportive. We work in teams and each team, which may include a part-timer, is responsible to ensure sufficient coverage of duties.”
Her team’s support also extends to meetings when these are scheduled only in the mornings so that Ms Chew is not held back in the afternoons. Of course, at important meetings that are inevitably held in the mornings, Ms Chew makes alternative arrangements and attends them.
“This is when my mother, in-laws and even my brother chips in with support to look after the children until I return home,” she said.
The best part of this whole arrangement, she attested, is the joy of being of home once her children get home from school too.
From then on, the mother-and-children team can be seen trying their hands at some fun activity every new day.
Tammy enjoys activities like baking and cooking while Theodore has a love for music. Their mother plans both these activities and invests time in their interests.
“Our most recent kitchen activity had us baking muffins for tea, and making spaghetti for lunch. Both of them had so much fun rolling minced meat into meat balls,” Ms Chew said.
Adding on, Ms Chew and her husband do their best to give their children a memorable childhood.
“We have taught Theodore, now 10, when he was younger to play the guitar. He can now pick out musical notes just by listening to the melody,” she said.
The couple has now committed to take their children to various parks around Singapore for morning strolls fortnightly and also try out a new activity every month.
NTUC’s Women’s Development Secretariat (WDS) works closely with companies to bring about more success stories of working mothers like Ms Chew. It will continue to advocate for flexible work arrangements at workplaces.
