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On a moral note, parents, do you expect your children to take care of you in your old age? Is that one of the reasons you're raising them?

For an insurance to your future?
wackidywack · 22-25
I feel like that's an unfair way to think of it. Some parents genuinely care for their children and in turn, the children feel the same way
exexec · 61-69, C
We expect our children to see that we have proper care. We have sufficient financial resources saved, but they may need to help us use them wisely near the end. They are aware of that.
Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M
No.
And the reason I say that is because governments of both colours have destroyed the family values i was brought up with during my lifetime.

The importance of family; education; health; working locally to home; meeting a partner locally; marriage; children; taking care of elderly relatives; retiring having been able to have bought your own home...
All these things were the expected norms when I left school in '81.

And then they started screwing with the economics of it.

Suddenly my generation were expected to travel to work.
We were told to expect less pay.
We were told that house prices being high was a sign of a successful economy.
That we should be prepared to accept less as that was the only way to attract businesses to invest in our country.

And when people stood up to protest, new laws meant our right to do so was curbed.
Our Landlords were backed rather than the tenants. And many lost their jobs and homes and pensions with no redress for the class of poor they'd created.

So our careers were short lived. we never earned enough to qualify for high priced mortgages.
We never earned enough for high priced rent so we couldn't save.

The local employers went bust from one recession after another, and because our country could no longer support it's own industries.
Steel; coal; car manufacture; shipbuilding; railways; clothes making; paper manufacture and just about everything this country had given the world for 100 years slowly ended because other countries could produce it at a lesser quality and cost and our governments liked the company kickbacks for planning violations and the destruction of the environment.

And then it all started to go seriously wrong !
The birth rate dropped because why would you bring children into this version of the country ?

The noxious atmosphere from unrestrained industry means there are as many asthma pumps being prescribed as cars on the road creating it !....well you've lived through the rest.

So no is the short answer.
JamesBugman · 56-60, T
I'm old, my kids can't wait for me to die so they can get the money I spent my life making. There will be nobody looking after me, and that is certainly not on anyone's radar.
@JamesBugman create a will and gift the money to someone who cares, and spell it out exactly why in case it goes to probate.
Blanchy · 31-35, F
I don't have children, but this is very common here in Ukraine, and it's definitely a big reason why people have children. This is because the pension is nowhere near enough to live for, so people need to be taken care of once they become unable to work.
@Blanchy I would have gladly taken care of my mom. She's gone now though.
Blanchy · 31-35, F
@Spoiledbrat I could never take care of my parents since I'm unable to make the kind of money they do, and I know they wouldn't compromise their lifestyle. Sorry about your mom. 💔
@Blanchy I just mean when they get older they might not be able to do some things for themselves anymore. Especially when one dies and the other is left alone. Some people have siblings that can help but not everyone does. Some people end up alone. My uncle did. He was divorced. It's a long story but I didn't know he needed help. I would have helped him in any way I could have even if it was just to provide company. He had had a stroke and I didn't know. I miss him and I miss my mom.
Why, do you not want to take care of your parents?
Casheyane · F
@Spoiledbrat Hard to just give a no and yes answer.

I want to take care of them, if that's the point. But also, I just want to be a background support and not have family totally dependent on me. Like, help each other, be there for one another, but also be independent.

But well...balance is hard to find in reality.
Lilliesandlight · 41-45, F
I'm trying to be healthy now so i won't be a burden to them.
Starcrossed · 41-45, F
If as a society that isn't something most of us can rely on, what are we even doing???

Sure it's not 'fair' but damn if you can't count on family [barring there's no abuse or narcissism] being there when no one else can or would it's a pretty sad commentary on the human experience.
Jenny1234 · 51-55, F
Absolutely not
I only ever had one kid and I didn't have him for that reason. But now that I think about it it would have been nice to have someone around. Family is nice and I have very few left family members left.
skymint · 31-35, F
that's one of the reasons why I will not have kids, cause I am that child, I am the insurance to their future.
Bleak · 36-40, F
Children can never repay their parents for their love and sacrifice.
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Casheyane · F
@Stereoguy But you still took care of him. That took a whole lot of gut and willpower.
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@ListenUp It's not like they have to stick around.

 
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