It's pretty obvious why parents expect their children to provide them with support in their older years once they are no longer able to support themselves, usually financially.
But the question is, should they?
On one hand, it seems like a pretty foolish question, right? Of course, parents can indeed expect support from their children. After all, they cared for their kids for so long and now it's their time to return the favor.
But here's the problem with that philosophy: it suggests that parenting is all about handing over your personal responsibility of taking care of yourself to someone who didn't ask for it.
Sensible or Selfish?
Parents, as adults, have the luxury of choice: either to have kids or not. Since they have a choice, their decision to have kids comes chained with a responsibility to provide for them, regardless of their current financial position.
Kids, however, do not get to choose if they wanna be born. They are brought in this world through factors outside of their will and control. Their indecision of being born, in the same manner, should come with the freedom of not being obligated to provide financial support.
Parenting is (or at least, should be) about paying it forward, it's about what you can give that will aid the generation after you and help them remember you once you're no longer with them.
I'm not saying that adult children should stop supporting their parents, hell no. That would ruin their relationship and possibly cause mental trauma to both.
What I'm trying to say is that parents shouldn't expect future support in case they decide to bring a new member to their family. If you want to have a baby, do so only if you actually want the baby and not a security system for your future.
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Definitely the baby is not a security in current generation, rather, if they can support themselves and do good in their life, that is sufficient. I don't think, in our current generation, people expect to kids to take care of them. It was there for us, and there is a shift in our generation.
Exactly. People today are barely able to secure their own future, let alone their parents' and I think that's the reason why you see so many people today talking about not wanting to have kids because they know they won't be able to provide for them which is sad indeed, but at least it's honest.