Nutrition, Safety & 6 Other Things Malaysian Parents Worry About The Most For Their Kids
"My babies are my responsibility, so if anything happens to them, it's my fault."
Published for PTPTN, 09 Oct 2020, 09:56 AM
Every parent wants what's best for their kids
From the day they're born, you strive to be their superhero, and do everything in your power to love them, protect them, teach them, and help them grow into their own person.
But as parents, you just can't help worrying about your kids, no matter how old they are.
In collaboration with PTPTN, we asked Malaysian parents to share some of their biggest parenting fears. Here's what they said:
Note: Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
1. "Despite my best efforts, I worry that my words and actions may end up having a negative effect on my kids, and cause them hurt"
"My parents said and did things with the best intentions when I was growing up. And yet, many of those things had long-lasting negative effects on my self-esteem, relationships, and social interactions.
I worry that the same thing will happen to my kids. I want them to be confident, happy, and kind. But I am not always confident nor happy nor kind."
- Laila, 33
2. "Some graduates with good grades, skills, and values are struggling to find work. What about in another 20 years from now? It could be harder for my son’s generation."
"I always wonder how my son will turn out to be in the future. Will he become a successful, good, and kind man or not? Also, raising a child is not just about making sure he gets good grades, but also about ensuring that he becomes a person with good moral values."
- Zack, 27
3. "I worry whether or not my kids would turn out to be good, nice, and kind human beings"
"There is just so much hate in the world :( I want my kids to be able to spread love and joy, and to stand up for those who are unable to stand up for themselves."
- Michelle, 31
4. "My son is autistic and I worry that I'm not giving him enough tools and support"
"His therapy and schooling are already expensive, and I wish I could provide more, but I can't afford it. I worry that he'll be totally dependent on me and his dad as an adult, both financially and emotionally. My biggest fear is that something will happen to me and there will be no one to look after him anymore."
- Ninja Housewife, 33
5. "My biggest fear is my children's safety"
"I guess I'm considered a helicopter parent, but I feel it's better to be safe than sorry. I'm scared of bad people kidnapping or hurting my kids. I worry about bullies at school. Now with the pandemic, I'm stressed all the time. My babies are my responsibility, so if anything happens to them, it's my fault."
- Cactus, 35
6. "I have five kids and I'm really worried that I won't be able to afford higher education for all of them"
"My five kiddos are all at different schooling levels and it's already expensive enough right now. School fees, uniform, books, exam fees, there's just so many things to pay for. I can't imagine what it's gonna be like paying for their higher education, especially with the increasing cost of education. Even if I start saving now... will it be enough?"
- Gina, 36
7. "I'm really concerned about my eldest daughter because she's a very, very picky eater"
"I'm scared that her health and nutrition will be affected. She's okay now, but will this affect her in the future? I dunooooo :("
- Bb, 27
8. "My wife and I worry that when our time comes, we'll be leaving nothing behind for our kids"
"My wife and I live paycheck to paycheck, and never have enough to save at the end of the month. We live in a rented home and have no investments or assets. So, what will we leave behind for our three kids when we pass on? It's so scary to think about that. We don't want to fail them as parents."
- Fahmi, 33
A huge part of parenting is preparing for your little one's future, and this includes saving up for their education. No matter your children's ages, now is always the best time to start.
PTPTN is encouraging parents to be their child's superhero by saving for their future with Bulan Menabung SSPN.
Since 2018, PTPTN has held Program Minggu Menabung SSPN annually. It's usually an on-ground event, but due to the COVID-19 situation, PTPTN decided to have a superhero-themed Bulan Menabung SSPN instead.
Throughout the month of October, there are lots of activities and rewards to incentivise you to save.
Check them out below:
- Kuiz Kahoot!
- Happy Hour
- Tabung DIY
- Siri P&T Si Tabung
- SSPN Got Talent
- Teka Dalam Tabung
- Kongsi Gambar Tabung
- Bento SSPN Chef Junior
- WOW! SSPN Challenge
- Sembang Santai Online
- Baby Merangkak Race SSPN x Pa&Ma
- Pertandingan Mewarna Kuasa Menabung
To educate Malaysian parents about the importance of saving, PTPTN encourages them to save with the Skim Simpanan Pendidikan Nasional (SSPN)
Established by PTPTN, saving via SSPN gives you lots of special benefits, including Government-assured savings. Most importantly, this scheme is Syariah compliant.
Besides that, SSPN also has a good dividend rate. For example, in 2019, the dividend rate paid out for SSPN was 4%. Plus, SSPN is the only savings plan that offers tax exemptions of up to RM8,000 a year. And through SSPN-i, you'll get free takaful coverage when your savings hit RM1,000.
For those with SSPN-i Plus, you can get takaful coverage of up to RM40,000 just by saving as little a RM30 a month. In addition, you'll even get death benefits, coverage for 36 critical illnesses, and hospital daily allowance.
Saving via SSPN-i Plus also give you the chance to win prizes in Cabutan WOW! SSPN-i Plus 2020. This year, you could win the grand prize of a Mercedes Benz C200, or other prizes like a total of RM1 million.
