‘Where do the kids go?’ Mum questions ‘no ball games’ signs at HDB common spaces, calls for middle ground
A woman has questioned “no ball games allowed” signs in common spaces, asking whether it is becoming harder for families with children to feel welcome in their neighbourhoods.
In a heartfelt Instagram carousel post on Sept 13, user @thepinksoldier, whose bio lists her name as Victoria, said Singapore is encouraging more families to have children, but wondered whether society is truly creating spaces that welcome them.
After noticing a sign on her floor of her HDB block that morning stating, “No ball games allowed at this common space”, she said it got her reflecting on the issue.
The sign, put up by Punggol Town Council, added: “In view of public safety, please take ball games to designated game courts instead.”
The woman’s post has since garnered more than 4,000 likes and 770 reposts.
Questions ‘no ball games allowed’ signs
Victoria said she was not questioning the sign because she believed her children should be allowed to do whatever they wanted, but because she wanted to understand who made the decision and why there had been no conversation with families living on that level.
When children play along the corridor, she said, it usually involves two primary school boys kicking a ball to each other, a few children playing a game, or simply running along the corridor.
“They’re not playing a tournament. They’re not screaming or playing at night. They’re just kids playing,” she wrote.
She added that her children mainly play on weekends, either in the late morning from 11am onwards or after lunch between 1pm and 3pm, with parental supervision at all times.
Besides the corridor, she noted that there was also a “no ball games allowed” sign at the grass field below her block, where children could previously run and play while parents got to know one another.
“Now, the places where children can simply kick a ball around seem to be getting smaller and smaller,” she wrote.
“Where do the kids go?” she questioned, adding that her children often tell her they are “bored” because they cannot play downstairs.
With both the corridor and grass field restricted for play, Victoria said this had become a “problem”.
‘Don’t just shut down the activity’
She said one part of parenting that people do not always see is how parents have to juggle work, school, homework, meals, household chores and other responsibilities.
Not everyone has grandparents or a helper to rely on for support, she said.
“Not every parent can drop everything and bring their kids to a designated court every time they want to kick a ball for 20 minutes,” she added.
She agreed that children require boundaries, parents need to teach them to be considerate, residents deserve peace and dangerous or excessive behaviour should be addressed.
But she questioned whether there could be a middle ground, such as setting reasonable hours, having guidelines or finding alternatives for children to play.
Parents all just finding ways to make play work within those boundaries, she explained.
“Don’t just shut down the activity without giving families a voice or a workable solution,” she said. “I’m not asking for special treatment, I’m asking for balance.”
‘Don’t shut children out’
@Victoria also asked whether communities were truly ready to co-exist with children.
“Where do our kids fit into our shared spaces?” she asked in her caption.
While acknowledging that children are not always quiet, she said they need space to move and socialise.
“If we keep restricting where children can be, please give families somewhere else to go. Don’t just send them home,” she said.
She stressed that the conversation should be about finding ways for children to play while also respecting those living around them.
“Don’t just shut children out. Give them somewhere to belong,” she wrote.
Stomp has reached out to thepinksoldier and Punggol Town Council for more information.
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