What I learnt from sending my son to national service

A certain level of physical fitness and a resilient, can-do attitude can go a long way as he undergoes basic military training

- Jane Ng

I thought having my sleep interrupted every night in the first two years of motherhood was hard. I also thought dropping my son off at nursery while I went to work was hard.

Then I had to leave him behind in Pulau Tekong after sending him there on his national service (NS) enlistment day in early 2025. And it was probably one of the hardest things I had to do as a mum in recent times.

Logically, I knew NS would be good for him. The two years are a rite of passage that our sons have to go through.

Some friends said two years of serving the nation made them more disciplined. Friends whose sons enlisted in the last year or so said NS helped their sons appreciate home more.

My husband reassured me by saying NS is much better these days compared with the 1990s, with better food and better welfare.

But as a mum, I'm not always logical, especially when it comes to my 19-year-old son and 16- and nine-year-old daughters.

As someone who has not gone through NS, I had no idea what to expect, and could only imagine how arduous the training would be. Would it be too strenuous for him? He had not been training regularly since his dragonboat co-curricular activity ended in 2024 and he started preparing for his examinations.

Fitness aside, would training be dangerous? What if he gets injured? What if he doesn't speak up when he is not feeling well?

The briefing we attended on the first day gave an overview of the training and safety protocols of the nine-week basic military training (BMT). It answered some of my questions and reassured me ever so slightly.

Training will be tough, but we promise to keep your sons safe, said the BMT centre's commanding officer who spoke to parents.