HAVING dinner at home is a luxury she can rarely afford.

Sending her children to school every day and putting them to bed every night, are simple acts she hardly has time for.

But Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh Josephine Teo is determined to prove that politics and family life can go hand in hand.

This, despite the fact that her 11-year-old son asked her recently to leave politics so that she could spend more time at home.

Son's plea

The 41-year-old assistant secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress told The New Paper: 'My boy told me, 'Mummy I hope you will not contest in the next election because you're hardly at home.'

'That, to me, was an important message from my son, that he missed me and needed more of my attention and time.'

Mrs Teo, who is the vice-chairman of the People's Action Party's women's wing and member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Health, confessed that her many work commitments allow her less time at home than she would like.

But she is confident she can juggle motherhood and career.

Mrs Teo, who also has twin girls aged 9, is also the co-chairman of this year's National Family Celebrations organising committee.

And making time for family - even if it's just having a meal together - is a message the committee wants to send to Singaporeans this year.

In a poll of 300 people conducted by the council last month, 58 per cent said they did not spend enough time with their families. (See graphics on facing page.)

Said Mrs Teo, who is married to the chief executive of the Competition Commission of Singapore, Mr Teo Eng Cheong: 'Singaporeans are all busy people, but it's about making quality time in between work commitments and being disciplined about keeping to certain rules.

'My husband and I have a rule that at least one of us has to be home at night at any one time. There are at most five nights in a year when both of us are not home with the kids.'

The Teos have a maid to help care for the children when they are not around.

Whenever she can find time in between meetings, she calls home or sends messages to her children.

Earlier this week, before a meet-the-people session, she rushed home after work to spend about an hour having dinner with her family.

And on rare days when she gets off work before 6pm, she makes an effort to fetch her children from school.

Said Mrs Teo: 'I admit I'm not superwoman and I'm not perfect.'

At the same time, it was vital not to dismiss or brush aside things that are important to the family, she said.

Last week, her daughter called her in the middle of the work day crying because her pierced ear hole was infected and was upset that the hole would close.

Said Mrs Teo: 'I had only 10 minutes to spare before a meeting and it would have been the easiest thing to brush her off.

'But I told myself this was obviously something very important to my daughter, and the fact that she called me for comfort means I'm important to her too.'

Mrs Teo told the girl to play her favourite tune on the piano, while she listened on the phone for five minutes.

'The piano is her joy, and I knew it would help calm her down.'

On Tuesday morning, Mrs Teo's other daughter forgot to take her thermometer to school and called her in a panic.

Radio interview

Although Mrs Teo had a radio interview at 8.15am that day, she rushed to school to deliver the thermometer and did the interview via phone while driving to work.

Apart from squeezing time amid her busy schedule, Mrs Teo makes an effort to take at least two weeks' leave every year during the June and December school holidays.

The Teos also go on family outings once every month - often to the art museum.

Said Mrs Teo: 'It's not unusual to find working mothers who handle family life well. All it takes is a little effort, and time management.

'In such times of economic uncertainty, the family unit becomes even more important as a source of support and encouragement for Singaporeans to upturn the downturn.'

This article was first published in The New Paper