I REFER to the letter, “Mum-to-be put off from having more kids by ungracious people” (my paper, Aug 6).

Procreation is a natural outcome of love between a couple. It is not for the purpose of gaining more benefits and rights.

Ungracious people should have no impact on one’s decision to have children.

I have a friend who is in her 70s but looks younger.

Recently, she was asked by a woman to surrender her seat to a young pregnant commuter.

Although my friend was tired after a day’s work, she gave up her seat as she felt embarrassed at having been asked to do so.

In such a case, who was in more urgent need of a seat?

In the past, many women worked in the fields even when they were in the most advanced stage of pregnancy.

Pregnant women these days are already well-taken care of, but some do not want to stand in trains and expect members of the public to give up their seats to them.

Some pregnant women are ungracious, taking seats offered to them without a word of thanks.

Others glare at commuters who do not give up their seats to them.

Take people who suffer from knee pain. When they are seated, no one can tell that they need the seat, but they would be embarrassed if someone asked them to give it up.

Everyone pays the same fare and people should not expect seats to be given up to them.

Besides pregnancy, there are many other reasons some commuters need a seat. - Ms Chua Kim Choo

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