In olden days, next-of-kin looked after the frail and sickly, often, only one parent worked and the other, usually the women, did the chores & looked after the sick. These days, maids could be employed to do chores & look after the sick. Consequently, both parents are free to work & perhaps, with rising standards of living, this is needful. it is certainly difficult for one parent to feed a family in most cases. (Memory collected at the Clementi Public Library during "The Singapore Story: My Heart, My Hope, My Home" campaign from 6 Sep to 31 Dec 2012)