Forum: Marriage courses needed at different stages of life
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The article “Singaporean couples to get more support with cheaper marriage prep courses” (Feb 16) indicates good effort on the part of the Government and related agencies to help couples strengthen their marriages.
But are the rebates given sufficiently attractive to get couples to attend the programmes? Why not consider strong income tax relief for couples, to incentivise them? Consider it a family tax relief, to help generate happy families.
We also need to understand that attending a one-time marriage strengthening course is insufficient because marriages go through stages – the honeymoon stage, the midlife crisis stage and the empty nest stage.
Marriages go through challenges at each of these stages.
The recommended course is good only for the honeymoon stage, just before and after marriage. New marital challenges will surface during the other stages. Couples need to know what they are and how to prepare for them and navigate through them.
Attending marriage strengthening courses and programmes is a lifelong activity. Many marriages break down at the midlife and empty nest stages. Let’s try to save them.
Frank Singam
