SMU Dean of Students and Professor of Sociology (Practice) Paulin Straughan said the government's move to increase parental leave will complement its existing suite of measures to encourage people to have more children. “In Singapore, we already have a very strong pro-family package already which costs us a lot of money and the one thing that is still lacking is the time resource. Work-life balance … seems to be the pain point for parents with young children. The idea of having a homemaker is not tenable for many families, because the cost of living is high and of course, work is more than just money so women are very reluctant to give up on a career and all the things that come with having a career just to raise children.” While the announcement would most definitely be welcomed by those who have already decided to have children, Prof Straughan said it could also help to push those who are on the margins.