‘Are they all yours?’ Couple with six kids are asked this wherever the family goes
Theresa Tan
The Straits Times
June 28, 2026
Whenever Amirudin Mohd Zain, 39, and his wife, Aszafirah Abu, 37, go out with their children, they often attract curious glances.
Some strangers do a quick count of the kids and ask them: “Are they all yours?”
The answer is yes – all six of them, four boys and two girls.
“They would also ask how we manage,” said Aszafirah.
While younger couples are often puzzled by their large brood, whose ages range from one to 11, older people tend to respond with encouragement.
The couple did not set out to have a large family.
When they got married, Aszafirah was 25 and Amirudin, 27. Their first home was a two-room flat.
Said Amirudin: “It’s not like we decided to have two, or three, or four children. It happened naturally.”
“As Muslims, we see children as a blessing,” he added.
“Some people feel they have to prepare a few hundred thousands of dollars for each child, but we don’t see it as such. We believe that God will provide, and we don’t have too much worry or anxiety if we have enough for the future.”
In an era when many Singaporeans are choosing to have one or two children, a small group of parents, like Amirudin and Aszafirah, have five or more children.
The share of babies who were the fifth or subsequent child in their families accounted for 2.1 per cent of all babies born in 2025, up from 1.5 per cent in 2005. In 2015, the figure was 1.4 per cent.
In 2025, 614 such babies were born, up from 558 in 2005 and 587 in 2015, based on data from the Department of Statistics website.
Amirudin has a degree in Islamic theology from the Al-Azhar University in Egypt, and Aszafirah, a degree in Japanese studies from the National University of Singapore.
They run Ukashah Confinement Meals, a halal confinement meal business. Running their own business gives them the flexibility to juggle both work and raising a large family.
On weekdays, their two oldest children go to school on their own, while Aszafirah drives the younger ones to the childcare centre.
They bring along their youngest – a one-year-old girl – to their central kitchen in West Coast, where meals are prepared.
Amirudin is one of the chefs, while Aszafirah handles the marketing and administrative tasks.
After lunch, they usually head back to their five-room HDB flat in Tengah, where they do household chores and coach their children in their homework when they return home from school.
The family does not have a domestic helper, though both sets of grandparents help out with childcare when needed. The older children also look after their younger siblings, and help with some chores.
With six children, the couple’s monthly expenses add up to at least $5,000.
With a family income of just slightly over $10,000 a month, which fluctuates depending on their business, they have to forgo certain treats and expenses.
Their family holidays now involve road trips to Malaysia in their seven-seater Mitsubishi Outlander, instead of flights to destinations farther away.
The children do not attend any enrichment or tuition classes – at least not yet, Aszafirah said.
The family likes to go to the beach or head outdoors to draw or see the stars as the children love astronomy. These activities are also free.
Asked if they would have another child, Aszafirah said: “I don’t think I have the energy – mental, emotional and physical – to handle another child and to go through the process (of raising) another child again.
“I feel my age is catching up, and I feel tired more easily.”
The demands of raising six children, keeping the house in order and managing a business can be heavy, she said.
This is despite the couple sharing household responsibilities and dividing parenting duties according to their strengths. For instance, each parent coaches the children in the subjects they are stronger in. They are also intentional about how they allocate time and attention.
A child with upcoming exams may receive more support, although they also make it a point to check in with each child regularly.
Aszafirah said: “If I feel exhausted, I would ask him to take over seeing to some of the kids. We need to open up and communicate.”
She said she has learnt not to be too hard on herself and to accept that not every chore or task has to be done perfectly: “I set my priorities for the day, but if I can’t complete everything, like the chores, it’s okay. My mental well-being is more important.”
Amirudin also said that communication between husband and wife is crucial when raising a large family: “Husband and wife must communicate well and work together. And so nothing is a big challenge.”
The couple delight in seeing their children grow up.
Aszafirah said: “We feel happy and have a sense of satisfaction in seeing them grow well and happy.”
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