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Venessa Lee

Senior Correspondent

Venessa Lee is a senior correspondent at The Straits Times who writes features on parenting and social issues.

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Latest articles

10 hacks for common parenting struggles

Church worker Jerrold Hong and his wife, teacher Rachel Lim, both 36, often play board games with their children, Zechariah and Esther, to cultivate play as a way of bonding with their children.
Church worker Jerrold Hong and his wife, teacher Rachel Lim, both 36, often play board games with their children, Zechariah and Esther, to cultivate play as a way of bonding with their children.

Charity boss opens luxury boutique hotel in Nepal

Charity boss Robert Kee, shown at his home, is opening a luxury boutique hotel in Nepal. It is the latest project from the engineer turned founder of Operation Hope Foundation, which helps the poor in Nepal and Cambodia.
Charity boss Robert Kee, shown at his home, is opening a luxury boutique hotel in Nepal. It is the latest project from the engineer turned founder of Operation Hope Foundation, which helps the poor in Nepal and Cambodia.

Families embrace volunteerism for their young children and teens

Mr Aarvin Giovanni, Ms Gurpreet Kaur and their children Ashleen and Aaryan at the Bears for Good charity roadshow.
Mr Aarvin Giovanni, Ms Gurpreet Kaur and their children Ashleen and Aaryan at the Bears for Good charity roadshow.

Family steps away from Singapore’s education ‘arms race’

(From left) Mr Joash Liang and Ms Corrine Ang with their daughters Eleora and Elise. In pursuit of a slower, different lifestyle, they relocated first to Thailand, then to Malaysia in recent years.
(From left) Mr Joash Liang and Ms Corrine Ang with their daughters Eleora and Elise. In pursuit of a slower, different lifestyle, they relocated first to Thailand, then to Malaysia in recent years.

Curved lines, cosy vibes: Designing safe spaces for youth mental health

The interior of grovve, a new youth wellness space at *Scape, which has a "no wrong door" design concept intended to help persons with diverse mental health needs.
The interior of grovve, a new youth wellness space at *Scape, which has a "no wrong door" design concept intended to help persons with diverse mental health needs.

Fostering teens: Couple’s daughters became foster sisters to two girls

Mr Bob Chia, 52, sales director at an IT firm, with his wife, Ms Lee May Ling, 52, an admin manager, prefer to foster teens rather than babies and toddlers.
Mr Bob Chia, 52, sales director at an IT firm, with his wife, Ms Lee May Ling, 52, an admin manager, prefer to foster teens rather than babies and toddlers.

Fostering teens: Former foster child can’t bear being separated from foster home

Mr Ahmad Ashrafiqri, 25, appreciates his foster parents' love and the  rules he had to observe in their household growing up.
Mr Ahmad Ashrafiqri, 25, appreciates his foster parents' love and the  rules he had to observe in their household growing up.

Fostering teens: Couples make an impact on them before adulthood and show them ‘how to do family’

Ms Halimaton Abdullah, 44, a teacher, and her husband, Mr Khairul Amin Zakaria, 44, a constituency director at the People's Association are currently fostering an 18-year-old girl.
Ms Halimaton Abdullah, 44, a teacher, and her husband, Mr Khairul Amin Zakaria, 44, a constituency director at the People's Association are currently fostering an 18-year-old girl.

Fostering teens: Dealing with academic stress and a teen romance

Mr Bhaskar Peri and Mrs Hema Peri are mindful of how they communicate with their foster teen.
Mr Bhaskar Peri and Mrs Hema Peri are mindful of how they communicate with their foster teen.

7 ways that big families in Singapore can get big savings

ST20250906-202542000129-Lim Yaohui-Venessa Lee-vllarge/

Mr Jonathan Poh​, 42​, Owner of ​Nature Therapy Studio​, and his wife, Ms Selena Vera Hey​, 41​, ​Teacher​, with their four daughters, Naomi Helen Poh Yi Qing​, (second from right) 8, ​pri​mary ​three pupil; Natalie Susan Poh Yi Ning​, (third from right) 7​, pri​mary ​one pupil; Natasha Eunice Poh Yi Ling​, (extreme right) 3​, in ​nursery two; and Nadya Francine Poh Yi Ting​, ​1, at his shop in Kitchener Complex​ on Sept 6, 2025. 

The govt's Large Families Scheme credits kick off in Sept. Interview with parents of large families, defined as having 3 or more kids, about their bargain-hunting, money-saving tips for large families

(ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI)
ST20250906-202542000129-Lim Yaohui-Venessa Lee-vllarge/

Mr Jonathan Poh​, 42​, Owner of ​Nature Therapy Studio​, and his wife, Ms Selena Vera Hey​, 41​, ​Teacher​, with their four daughters, Naomi Helen Poh Yi Qing​, (second from right) 8, ​pri​mary ​three pupil; Natalie Susan Poh Yi Ning​, (third from right) 7​, pri​mary ​one pupil; Natasha Eunice Poh Yi Ling​, (extreme right) 3​, in ​nursery two; and Nadya Francine Poh Yi Ting​, ​1, at his shop in Kitchener Complex​ on Sept 6, 2025. 

The govt's Large Families Scheme credits kick off in Sept. Interview with parents of large families, defined as having 3 or more kids, about their bargain-hunting, money-saving tips for large families

(ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI)

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MDDI (P) 046/10/2025. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2025 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.