They may be single by choice or by divorce, but these celebrity single mums of Singapore prove that life is all about learning from the lessons of the past and moving forward.
Let’s check out these multi-tasking super mums who juggle their single life with career and kids.
Jacelyn Tay
Former Mediacorp actress Jacelyn Tay shocked us all when she announced her divorce with her husband of 8 years on Instagram on 18 November 2018.
Jacelyn Tay, who is now a health coach and founder of wellness centre Body Inc, did not reveal the reason for her divorce.
“I do not think I owe anyone the reason for divorce except to my son. Even if you guys know, you can’t help or change anything for us”, she wrote.
Jacelyn had married businessman Brian Wong in 2010. The couple’s divorce announcement came as a shock especially since they were seen celebrating their only son, Zavier Wong’s achievements in primary school recently.
“Happiness is never upon others but self. I always choose to be happy and optimistic no matter what happens. Only a happy person can bring happiness to those whom we love…”
She also requested for peace and understanding, “I ask all who truly care for me and Zavier to give us a peaceful Christmas this year. Zavier is now on a flight with his daddy to explore Europe.”
Wong Li-Lin
They were Singapore’s dream couple, and actors Wong Li-lin and Allan Wu seemed to have it all. Sadly, they ended up getting divorced, and it’s been 4 years now since Li-Lin and Wu parted ways.
While Wu seems to have found love again, Li-Lin soldiers on, playing both mummy and daddy to their children – son Jonas, 11, and daughter Sage.
She once wrote in an article on Today, “Divorce and getting back on my feet was one of the hardest things I had to go through. The entire process was draining on all fronts.”
“Doing all you can to maintain stability, to keep them (kids) feeling secure while their parents are clearly losing it, required resilience, perseverance and depths of compassion.”
PHOTO: INSTAGRAM / WONG LI-LIN
“I had to parent. If that meant being mum, dad, grandparent and friend, and if it meant learning to kick football, then that’s what I did. I coped by putting one foot in front of the other.”
Today, Li-Lin, also a fitness enthusiast, works as Deputy Director at Thomson Medical, where she advocates wellness, family and good health.
There is no bitterness towards her ex, and in fact, she is all praise for Wu as a dad, “Allan is a very loving dad, he loves his children very much. While estranged, he and I will always be connected because of the children.”
She also advises the kids, “Divorce does not make mum or dad a better or worse person.”
Agree.
Jaime Teo
Another fairy tale ended sadly when former Miss Singapore Universe and actress, Jaime Teo, and ex-radio DJ Daniel Ong, revealed their decision to separate in 2016, after 9 years of marriage.
They have a 7-year-old daughter, Renee. The couple were business partners too, having founded Twelve Cupcakes together in 2011; it was sold earlier this year to an Indian tea company.
Both Jaime and Daniel make for great co-parents, and emphasise that, “Though our journey as a couple has ended, we will always remain friends and our focus is now on giving Renee as normal a childhood as possible.”
Daniel recently revealed how we went to hell and back over their divorce; he is now in a much happier space though, having found love again with local make-up artist Linda Lee.
Photo: Instagram/jmeteo
Jaime, meanwhile, remains single and unattached and is currently content playing mummy, and she tells 8 Days, “I’m very hands-on in taking care of my daughter Renee, and so is Dan. Being a mummy is really a full-time job — I’m either planning play dates for her or planning things to do with her. That takes up a lot of time!
Jaime is also a fitness enthusiast and advocates leading an active lifestyle. In fact, her Instagram account is filled with videos of her home workouts, “I think I get more me-time now compared to the past and that’s good. When Renee is with daddy, I get time to myself. It’s worked out well.”
Maia Lee
She is known as Singapore’s wild child, and Maia Lee is no stranger to news and criticism. Love her, or hate her, you just can’t ignore her.
The former Singapore Idol contestant, famous for her tattoos, quit secondary school when she was only 15. By 26, she had already given birth twice, as a single mum.
This mummy of son Tyrese, and daughter Julka Phoenix Lee-Zidov (Kaka) may not believe in societal norms but does not compromise when it comes to her children and their happiness.
Photo: Facebook/Maia Lee
When asked about her plans for her children, she once told theAsianparent, “I don’t have plans for both of them. I’m going to let them explore for themselves. I’m not adamant about them finishing school. It’s up to them to choose what they want to do.”
Kaka is already one of Singapore’s top child models, “Kaka started modelling and competing in baby shows since she was 7 months old.” The then 8-year-old fashionista recently revealed, “I want to have my own fashion brand.”
Last year Maia also formed Singapore’s youngest all-girl dance-pop group, The Lovettes, consisting of Kaka and her friends. Apparently, Maia choreographs the group’s dance performances, and even designs and sews their costumes from scratch!
Ann Poh
She was once well known for her ‘assets’, and was signed on by the now-defunct ‘MediaWorks’. In 2006, Ann Poh made news in Singapore, when she separated from her husband of 8 years, citing spousal abuse.
Today, Poh, the mummy of 2 teenage daughters, bears no grudges and believes in letting go of the past, “Any decision that involves our (girls), we will discuss it together.”
She now works as an administrative officer at a real estate company, a far cry from her glamorous days.
Apparently, she went through a really tough time after her divorce. She was by then retrenched from MediaCorp, and unable to find another job in Singapore.
For 18 months, she lived in Guangzhou, China, selling silver jewellery online to earn a living. Her ex-husband and her mother-in-law cared for her daughters during that time. She tells The New Paper, “(When I was in Guangzhou) I missed my children a lot and had to hold back tears so that they would not know that I was sad.”
“My daughters, especially the younger one, would cry. But I had to be strong. I knew then I had to upgrade myself and be better for myself and my children.”
Later, she got a diploma in tourism from the Tourism Management Institute of Singapore while also doing a part-time administrative job. She also worked as a tour group leader before finding her current job.
Her children still live with her mother-in-law and she hopes that one day, they will be able to stay with her, “Making ends meet and supporting my children is are top priorities right now. I have to be stronger, fight harder and be better for myself and my children.”
“You must stay positive and love yourself. Everything will be okay when you put your heart into it.”
(Source: Today, 8 Days, The New Paper)
Lead image from Instagram/jmeteo and jacelyn_tay
Also READ: 15 Things single mums of Singapore should know