Singapore’s SG60 Baby Gift, a gift set for babies born in 2025 to commemorate the nation’s 60th year of independence, has stirred debate on Reddit over the selection of items and their practicality.
The gift set comprises of 10 locally-sourced items such as storybooks, a limited edition of Becky Bunny plushie, wooden building-blocks, a toy playset, a food bib, and more.
Each SG60 Baby Gift will also come with a congratulatory letter from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
During parliament on Feb 28, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah said the gift symbolizes the government’s hopes and aspirations for Singapore’s future generations.
“We hope parents will find the gift meaningful and useful – to inspire the child in discovering the world around them, and to support parents in nurturing and caring for their child,” said Ms Indranee.
While some Redditors appreciated the gesture, many were skeptical about how useful the gift’s items would be for parents. They argued that the items do little to ease the financial burden of raising a child, especially with the high costs of childcare.
Several Redditors suggested that the SG60 Baby Gift would be more practical if it included essential items for childcare such as formula milk and diapers.
Many users felt that instead of a gift set, parents would benefit more from government support for flexible work arrangements, such as enhanced parental leave policies, to help them better balance work and family life.
This sentiment reflects broader concerns that despite existing policies, many parents feel pressured to prioritise work over family due to workplace norms.
One Redditor said that “parents rather need more support, flexibility from employers” and financial assistance to offset their family expenses.
Another user commented: “Most parents I know would actually be happier with increased paternity and childcare leave. To encourage bonding, you need to allow parents a guilt-free way to leave the office to hang out with their babies.”
A major topic of discussion was the high cost of raising children in Singapore, particularly childcare fees. Some users argued that a baby gift set does little to help when infant care costs remain prohibitively expensive.
Others pointed out that high housing prices and the general cost of living made parenthood challenging, suggesting that more government support should be directed at these structural issues.
One user urged the government to focus on easing the financial burden on families, pointing out that many may want more children but are held back by financial constraints.
“Once you have more than 2 kids, big ticket expenses will hit the roof! You need to change house usually, buy a car, get a helper, one parent stops work,” the user wrote.
The user further pointed out additional expenses that contribute to the financial burden, including “groceries, medical bills, transport cost, enrichment cost, tuition cost, holidays.”
The government has said that the SG60 Baby Gift is intended to be a meaningful keepsake for babies rather than a policy tool to boost birth rates.
However, the online debate highlights the need for tangible support for parents as many users argue that relevant policy improvements—such as childcare subsidies, parental leave, and greater workplace flexibility—would be far more beneficial than free items that may go unused.
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