1 “We’re proud to have a world-class airport. There is nothing like coming home to Singapore, shopping at the impressive duty-free stores, passing through efficient immigration, and picking up our luggage in mere minutes. There is such a wide range of shops, services, and family-friendly events and activities at the airport as well.” – Dawn Sim, 38, teacher and mother of two
2 “Among the many things my family and I love about Singapore is the fact that we retain family togetherness. On our small island, grandparents are never too far away, and are always ready to dote on their grandchildren. I could not have had four children and a career if it were not for my mother, who raised my siblings and I, as well as her nine grandchildren, by providing an ever-available home away from home.” – Lim Lei Theng, 45, university academic and mother of four
3 “My husband and I are thankful that Singapore is a developed country, with electricity, potable water and clean toilets everywhere. I didn’t enjoy such privileges when I was growing up in Malaysia.” – Nikki Ho, 38, senior designer at Simply Her and mother of two
4 “I am thankful that school fees are subsidised all the way to pre-university level, enabling most parents to afford proper education for their children.” – Felicia Foo, 26, accounts executive and mother of one
5 “My hubby and I love that this is such a safe city to raise children. I was in Bangkok when my teenage daughter texted me to ask if she could pay her final respects to the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew at 10pm. I allowed her to go without a second thought.” – Celine Chan, 44, stay-at-home mum of three
6 “Being Singaporeans overseas (we currently live in Sao Paulo, Brazil), my family absolutely loves the convenience of an HDB estate when we come home for a visit. We can head to the neighbourhood basketball court and playground in the morning, before walking to the nearest hawker centre for some delicious chwee kueh and fresh soya bean milk for breakfast.” – Chong Siew Hong, 42, stay-at-home mum of two
7 “We love the variety of food and that it’s so easily available. Where else can you have Malay biryani, Indian rojak and Hokkien mee – all in a single meal?” – Lee Kyll Synn, 36, sub-editor and mother of two
8 “I can take my children out without having to worry too much about their safety. They have the freedom to run around and enjoy themselves.” – Jasmine Chong, 29, stay-at-home mum of two
9 “On weekends, we love cycling along Punggol Waterway to the Lorong Halus Wetlands. There’s a red bridge with a beautiful vista of the reservoir, and sometimes, we even see families of sea otters playing in the water.” – Deng Yuying, 33, co-founder of standing desk provider Ideal Workspace, and mother of one
10 “In spite of what others may say about Singapore’s education system, I feel that the maths and English curricula provide our kids with a good foundation for university.” – Adelin Toh, 32, publicist and mother of one
11 “We enjoy the fact that Singapore is clean and green, with parks in almost every estate. My family enjoys taking walks at Tampines Eco Green, near our home.” – Rebecca Ng, 37, office manager and mother of one
12 “The clean air and sunny skies. It’s a garden city indeed, for both kids and adults!” – Low Puey Hoon, 40, financial planner and mother of one
13 “For a small country, there are so many things for my two boys to do – whether it’s learning about the human body at the Singapore Science Centre or exploring nature at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.” – Seto Nu-Wen, 38, executive sub-editor and mother of two
14 “We love local food! Our favourite dishes include chicken rice, fried Hokkien mee and carrot cake. We also appreciate the variety of international cuisines available, from Italian to Japanese.” – Chantal Simone Choo, 25, student and mother of one
15 “We are glad that in Singapore, women can walk around safely after dark. We are also thankful that there are no bands of pickpockets roaming the streets, unlike in certain parts of Europe.” – Jasmine Ang, 32, financial services director and mother of two
16 “Living in a small city, we are fortunate to live in close proximity to our extended family – my mum stays within walking distance, my aunt is just a 15-minute drive away, and my in-laws, a 30-minute drive away. Because of this, our children have forged close relationships with their cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and even grand-aunts and grand-uncle.” – Kara-Mae Lim, 37, account manager and mother of two
17 “I like how everyone addresses older folk as ‘Auntie’ and ‘Uncle’ – it’s almost as though we are all one big family.” – Penelope Chan, 42, editor of Simply Her and mother of four
18 “Our family of three has lived in Singapore for more than four years, and we love its cultural diversity. I am grateful that my son Kaliko, who is half-American and half-Taiwanese, gets to grow up alongside children of different races and cultures.” – Heather Hsieh, 38, founder of multicultural family club Collage, independent consultant and mother of one
19 “We are thankful that there are strict gun laws in Singapore. My son will be able to go to school safely without my worrying about things like mass shootings or his classmates carrying weapons.” – Simone Wu, 33, beauty editor at Simply Her and mother of one
20 “There’s never a lack of things to do. Our weekends are always spent doing fun-filled activities – be it visiting museums, shopping or just eating.” – Siti Sulaiha, 38, conference services manager and mother of one
21 “Whampoa Drive Market & Food Centre has the best hawker food, with lovely aunties and uncles who love to share a kopi-C and chat.” – Roberta Ciccone, 36, founder of online community Real Singapore Expat Wives and mother of five
22 “We want to say thank you to the garbage collectors who remove our trash every morning while we prepare for work or school. We live in a better environment because of their hard work.” – Annie Wong, 42, stay-at-home mum of two
23 “I only became a Singapore citizen in August 2011, but it is now truly my home. My husband and I are glad that our three children will be able to realise their aspirations through a good education system.” – Nanette Ong, 37, quality and safety manager and mother of three
24 “We appreciate how Singapore is largely free from natural disasters.” – Diana Wong, 42, associate ad sales director at Simply Her and mother of one
25 “The vibrant ethnic enclaves, such as Little India and Kampong Glam, let us appreciate the many cultures in Singapore. We love browsing through the traditional handicrafts at Little India Arcade before tucking into a hearty meal at an authentic restaurant.” – Nallies Ng, 37, stay-at-home mum of two
26 “My family really appreciates the low crime rate here – we can head out at night without worrying.” – Ann Neo, 36, senior designer at Simply Her and mother of one
27 “I like that there’s a mall practically anywhere in Singapore. It makes it easy to find a washroom for my two young kids when they need one! It also means we can get groceries or food without much hassle.” – Chelza Pok, 35, art director at Simply Her and mother of two
28 “I love Singlish. I used to be very self-conscious about speaking proper English, but the older I get, the more I appreciate this unusual ‘heritage language’. It’s amazing how we code-switch effortlessly between the two.” – Stella Thng, 38, lecturer, writer and mother of one
29 “We love the water playgrounds and giant slides at the public pools, especially the ones at Pasir Ris Sports and Recreation Centre, and Sengkang Swimming Complex. With entry fees under $3 a person, it’s an unbeatable weekend outing.” – Lim Tsiao Hui, 41, deputy editor of Simply Her and mother of four
30 “Being in a multiracial society helps my children to be more open to differences and be more willing to embrace new ideas and perspectives. Hopefully, they will grow up to become enlightened adults.” – Yvonne Lim, 39, accounts executive and mother of two
31 “There’s just so much good food in Singapore that can be found in high-end restaurants or affordable coffee shops. My family loves to makan!” – Cecilia Matthews, 46, human resource executive and mother of three
32 “My kids love lion dance, and search out the lion dance troupe whenever they hear the sounds of ‘dong dong chiang’.” – Magdalene Chong, 35, senior manager and mother of two
33 “We can boast of having one of the best health-care systems in the world – a critical consideration, as it concerns everyone literally from cradle to grave.” – Jasmine Chan, 42, director of financial services and mother of two
34 “We appreciate that Singapore is so green. The highlights of our weekends are going to the MacRitchie trails, the Rail Corridor or Bollywood Veggies in Kranji. We’ve enjoyed the outdoors so much more since moving to Singapore in 2012.” – Julie Hanssen, 36, F&B guest relations manager and mother of two
35 “We’re blessed to be able to make friends from different countries. My boys’ rugby teams consist of children who are British, American and Japanese, just to name a few.” – Yvon Bock, 35, managing director of baby bottle brand Hegen and mother of four
36 “We love our neighbourhood, Bedok. Our neighbourhoods are accommodating and friendly – even the aunties and uncles at the coffee shops near my place know my children’s names. And there are wet and dry markets, several convenience stores, at least four coffee shops and a hawker centre, all within two minutes of our doorstep!” – Lynn Dresel, 36, bank analyst and mother of two
37 “We enjoy celebrating all the different festivals and holidays in Singapore. My kids and I can learn so much about the different cultures here.” – Priscilla Zheng, 31, freelance emcee and mother of two
38 “As a mum, I appreciate how there are many medical clinics conveniently located in housing estates. If my son falls ill, I know I can get him seen to by a doctor easily.” – Stephanie Tan, 30, corporate communications officer and mother of one
39 “We love Singapore because the parks are so clean, green and accessible. We particularly enjoy visiting West Coast Park and the Botanic Gardens for walks and picnics on weekends.” – Yang Sue Ann, 28, customer support officer and mother of one
40 “My family – even my children – loves the coffee shop uncle in our estate in MacPherson. He makes the best teh-C in Singapore!” – Nonie Chen, 39, senior art director and mother of two
41 “My family loves to eat. With the array of hawker centres and eateries across the island, it’s so convenient to find good food at decent prices for the whole family.” – Jessie Ng, 40, editorial support executive at Simply Her and mother of two
42 “The many water parks and indoor playgrounds are excellent spots for my daughter to have good, clean fun, and for my husband and I to enjoy some respite from the tropical heat.” – Heng Shu Yun, 32, stay-at-home mum of one
43 “We like visiting family-friendly malls like Nex, which has two dedicated play areas for kids. We can shop and keep the kids entertained at the same time.” – Ruth Chow, 26, nurse and mother of two
44 “The Botanic Gardens is our favourite place. It’s a great spot for learning (about our natural heritage) and playing (in all that open space), and it’s so beautiful. On some weekends, there are even free concerts and performances.” – Dianne Swee, 44, early childhood educator and mother of three
45 “Even though Singaporeans generally complain a lot about life here, we actually have a strong sense of national pride and solidarity. For example, there was a collective outpouring of grief when Mr Lee Kuan Yew passed away.” – Terisa Lee, 52, self-employed mum of three
46 “We like that there are plenty of places to take the kids to, like the beach, parks and zoo. And the school holidays are filled with fun activities to keep the kids busy.” – Feronika Chandra, 29, director of operations at Fleur de Sel Le Restaurant and mother of two
47 “I love the passion, creativity and ambition of young Singaporeans. When I interact with them, I see an exciting future for Singapore as a nation.” – Ayesha Khanna, 41, co-founder and chief executive officer of enrichment hub The Keys Academy, and mother of two
48 “My daughter and I enjoy visiting Marina Bay. We love the splendid display of flora and fauna at Gardens by the Bay, kite flying at Marina Barrage and the breathtaking city skyline at the Marina Bay Sands Skypark.” – Tara Bal, 40s, head of communications at Netapp Apac and mother of one
49 “The cafe scene in Singapore is fabulous! My family is always searching for the next best coffee at the various cafes. Our favourite haunts include On the Table, Boufe and Penny University.” – Theodora Soh, 30, scientific officer and mother of one
50 “We love Singapore because this is where I grew up, and where my children will also be growing up. It is where all my friends are, and we have so many fond memories of the country. This is our home, and this is our life.” – Lina Lee, 40, director of New Resources Technology and mother of two
This article was originally published in Simply Her August 2015.