Singapore Influencer Becomes A Grandmother At 34, Sparks Parenting Debate

An influencer from Singapore has sparked a debate after becoming a grandmother at the age of 34. According to South China Morning Post, Shirli Ling, now 35, welcomed her first grandchild last year when her 17-year-old son became a father. Notably, the influencer who runs a chicken hotpot restaurant, has been married three times and has five children. She had her first son at the age of 17, followed by another son and three daughters. 

In an Instagram video posted in March, Ms Ling discussed her experience of becoming a grandmother at such a young age, calling it both "good and bad". She said she didn't panic when her eldest son's girlfriend was pregnant last year, joking that her son had taken inspiration from her to become a parent at 17.

She said, ''Compared to other kids, he is more curious, he likes to play. So when he told me his girlfriend got pregnant, I felt that I wanted him to decide for himself and take responsibility for his actions.''

"Depends on how you look at it and how you manage it," she stated further.

Here's the video:

In another video, she said she would never "encourage" her children to have kids young, as she knows the difficulties as a young mother herself. However, she said that she wants to offer advice and support rather than scolding her son.

''But since it has already happened, I can only teach them how to face it, how to make decisions, how to be responsible for your behaviour. I also can't guarantee that if you 'take away' the first baby, you won't have a second baby. If they don't how to think, they'll still make the same mistake. When they need help, parents have to be there to keep educating them, encouraging them, and teaching them. Always be there for your kids, no matter what happens,'' she added. 

Her posts sparked debate with many calling her a ''failed mother'' while others appreciated her for being supportive of her children. Some joked that she could become a "great-grandmother at 53 and a great-great-grandmother at 72.''

One user praised her saying, ''You are open about this. Most people would start blaming their children for being young parents.'' Another commented, ''I think you are a failed mother. Is it really good for a child to start a family at an immature age?”

Ms Ling, who has more than 20,000 followers on Instagram, rose to fame after starring in the Singaporean military comedy film Ah Girls Go Army in 2022.