In the latest episode of Say It Out Loud, YES 933 DJs Joey Tay and Pin Juen chat with local content creator and media agency founder Jewels Lim about navigating motherhood as a young mum.

At 26 this year, Jewels is a Gen Z single mum to, in her words, “a very cute and very chubby” one-year-old boy. She had her baby when she was 24, and revealed that having her child completely changed her outlook on life.

“I felt like I grew up overnight. My friends still go clubbing, but for me, I wake up early daily to change my son’s diapers and feed him milk. My [life] is very different from that of my friends’, some of them have just graduated from university, but I graduated early at 23 and began working then, so it’s still okay for me because I was already earning an income,” she said.

She truly felt “grown up” the moment her son called her “mum”, marking a shift in her life and a new identity from who she used to be. 

Jewel shared that she’s always loved kids, and that she had always hoped to be a young mum. 

“I believe that as a young mum, I have more energy and don’t get tired as easily, and there isn’t as big a generation gap with my son. When I’m in my 40s, he’ll be 18, and we can go clubbing and hang out together,” she said.

“I think the way I think might be very different from other Gen Zs, because I want many kids — at least three or four,” she added.

She also shared that, contrary to what some may expect, she doesn’t spend as much on her son as people might think.

“His milk powder costs the most, but I spend less than S$1,000 on his expenses. That includes his school fees, milk powder and clothes. Without including toys, it’s not expensive."

“But this is just while he’s under two, not including what I might need to spend on tuition and other things when he grows older. So I’m working harder to be able to afford a lot more things for him," she sad. 

As the hosts discussed the considerations around having children, with Joey sharing that she feels “indifferent” about it at this stage of her life. Pin Juen added that it is a big decision with huge responsibilities, including financial ones, Jewels also shared her perspective.

She revealed: “I’m a single mum, so it was an unplanned pregnancy and I wasn’t married. I was deciding whether to have the child, and ultimately made the decision to keep him. Things didn’t work out between my partner and I, so I chose to have him on my own, and I don’t completely agree with what Pin Juen said.”

Jewels explained: “I feel that while, yes, you might not be able to give your kid the very best financially, I’m not in excess and I’m still living with my parents, but I feel that things will work out as they come. As long as my kid is fed, clothed, and has a roof over his head, I’m good. I still feel like I’ve fulfilled my responsibility by doing my best every day.”

With all that said, Jewels admitted she had faced judgmental comments both online and in real life. This includes the time a nosy neighbour who once questioned her mother about Jewel having a child young and asked about her husband.

However, Jewels remains chill and positive about finding a partner, despite her friends’ concerns that she's still single. She believes she is still young and is confident she will meet someone who accepts both her and her child.

She also doesn’t hide the fact that she has a son, including on dating apps, though she admits some men do react negatively when they find out.

Since becoming a mum, Jewels has learned just how important family is, with her loved ones supporting her through every step and encouraging her when she needed it most. It was also only after having her son that Jewels, who has three older sisters, realised how tough it must have been for her mother to raise her.

Her mum, who helps care for her little one, gave her plenty of advice on patience when it comes to raising a baby. Jewels even joked that she had been “trained” by her son to become a more patient and better person, a change that also spilled over into her friendships and other relationships.

When it comes to friendships, Jewels has had to make adjustments, usually meeting friends only after her son goes to sleep at 8pm and heading home before midnight. Her weekends are now dedicated to her child, with friends sometimes visiting her at home instead if they want to hang out.

Ultimately, Jewels remains a strong advocate for having children young.

“I believe it’s a new experience you won’t otherwise get in life or at work. It’s a new job, but it’s also a 24/7 job,” she said.

She added that she does not expect her son to look after her or keep her company when she is older, and is perfectly fine if he moves overseas, as long as he lives well and does not do anything illegal. 

When asked by Pin Juen how she would react if her son decides to have children young as well, she quipped: “He can, then I’ll just become a grandma.”

Jewels shares with the hosts her take on the upsides of having a child young

Photos: Mediacorp, lryjewels/ Instagram

You can catch the full episode of Say It Out Loud on YouTube, or watch it below.