Parenthood and children

There has been a recurring theme for some weeks now...

It's about parenthood and children.

Today I was talking to an uncle. The casual chat. Then it got into about children and about how they treat their parents.

It's natural that parents love their children. They'd do anything for their children. Some families I know would give up everything they have for their children - may it be their happiness, their wealth, their time, or even their self-esteem/respect.

On the other end of the spectrum, I know many elderly parents who say that their children are hopeless. Very few parents I know are proud and satisfied of their children. Am glad that I move around with my parents to gain more exposure that I wouldn't be able to 'access' to. Like, how often would I meet an elderly to talk about life in general? Young people these days don't talk about such things...not to say that I mind. But it's good to talk about life in general to learn from others. And who else would be more mature and experience than the elderly?

Anyways...

So where did it go wrong? On one end, parents would give up anything for their children. On the other end, children have gave up their parents. Sounds like 忘恩负义.

I used to have this pre-conceived image that local people don't really care for their children much. Sure, I know some neighbours and met some people, but it didn't change my impression until a birthday party that I attended couple of weeks ago.

It was a birthday party for a close friend's children. They invited their school friends and parents over. And that gave me really good insights in how local families behave. And seriously, I don't see any lack of love of their parents to their children. So my previous pre-conceived image was invalid. My thought that local people don't care about their children is almost totally wrong.

Then I have been hearing from elderly people on how their children pretty much forgot about them. The general rule was, once you turn 18 you are detached from the family, except when you need financial help or splitting of family wealth. Heh.

What made their children think less of their parents in the later stage in life? The very parents who have brought them up in the best way they know.

Am sure many children would think less of their parents. To say, "parents don't understand me", "these days are different from the old days", "parents don't know anything about life", "let me live my own life now", etc are all common sayings. How about the opposite, "how much do I know about my parents?", "what cool things do my parents know?", "how much do I know about myself when I was young? (less than 5yrs old or more)", etc.

Meh, just questions...

Maybe it's due to the education system, or money culture, or government system, or society, or family values and principles. I've no idea...yet?

Funny how whenever my parents say that we are their pension funds, the receiver is either astonished and/or would say, "don't hope your children will fund you..." ^^;

Sometimes I wonder, my life in Belgium is so different from UK. Even though sometimes I prefer my lifestyle in UK, sometimes I don't mind this lifestyle because it gives me a perspective that I would never see if I was still in UK.

Am still somewhat young, so still have lots to see and lots to learn.

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Ah~ another week ahead... *gaze upon the skies*