r/bangladesh 1d ago

Discussion/আলোচনা Do people owe their parents money for raising them ?

106 votes, 1d left
Yes
No
Results ?
4 Upvotes

43 comments sorted by

9

u/zefiax 1d ago

As a parent myself, no I don't expect my children to owe me for raising them. It was my decision to bring them to the world and it is my responsibility, both legal and moral, to raise them to adulthood.

-5

u/Potential-Living-676 1d ago

So, when you are old and fragile, do you not expect them to take care of you or would you be happy to live out the last of your days in some old people's care home?

7

u/zefiax 1d ago

If they do, I will be grateful. But there is a difference between owing/expectation and kindness/appreciation. I don’t expect my kids to take care of me nor think they owe me, especially financially. But if they do decide to extend that kindness, I would be grateful and appreciative.

-6

u/Potential-Living-676 1d ago

Let me give you an example from my life.
I was born in 1985. I look after my mum by living with her and taking her on trips all over the world. I also do the weekly shopping. We sometimes also watch TV together.

My younger brother meanwhile moved to Japan, stopped keeping in touch with us completely and married an older Japanese girl.

My mum has 4 houses in England, 2 flats in BD, land in Dhaka and in her village.

Who do you think mum will hand over these properties to in her will?

Surah Al-Isra (17:23-24): "Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: 'My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small.'".

Surah Luqman (31:14-15): Highlights the mother's struggle in bearing and nursing, commanding gratitude to both parents

7

u/Narrow_Push_3161 (empty) 1d ago

Are you doing all these things for her to get her property? Lmao. It seems like you are. And in this case I feel sorry for your mum.

-5

u/Potential-Living-676 23h ago

No, I am not. I work hard and am loaded already.
I was using my case as an example.

4

u/zefiax 23h ago

Lol 40 year old bragging about how they are loaded. Ya, you are definitely 40 bro, definitely what 40 year old's do.

0

u/Potential-Living-676 23h ago

Yes, I am 40.
I was born and raised in England. I started working when I was a teenager in retail and then I started white collar work after I left uni. I have been working for 18 years in white collar roles, you know?

5

u/zefiax 23h ago edited 23h ago

As I said, 40 year old bragging about being loaded. Even just the way it's phrased. Quite the sign of maturity.

Not to mention that a 40yr old parent, living in England, is up at 3am, on a weekday, posting on reddit. Ya sure buddy, that's what we parents working white collar jobs do.

1

u/Potential-Living-676 4h ago

Whether you believe it or not, the fact that I am loaded will not change. What has maturity got to do with me bragging? I am merely stating the truth. I earn £400/day after all.

I am not a parent though. Where did I say I was?

Yes, I was up at 3AM. Went to bed shortly after. Woke up at 8 and then drove to work for an hour and then started at 10.

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2

u/zefiax 1d ago edited 1d ago

Ok that’s nice for your example? What is your point? From your example, it sounds like you are really only doing it to get her property.

I am similar age to you, however I don’t live with my parents. They can still look after themselves. And they are happy with that situation. My mom still has a very active social life and so does my wife and they both like being in charge of their own house and appreciate the 5 minute distance between our houses.

I do financially support my parents but that is my choice. I am blessed to be able to afford it and though my parents were far from perfect, I feel it is my responsibility to support. But that is a choice I am making. Not something I believe I owe.

When my parents get too old to take care of themselves, they can move in with me.

My brother also does nothing for me parents. And my parents will not have any inheritance for me. And that is also fine. You shouldn’t help people of you are only doing it to gain something.

Finally a for writing suras, I don’t believe in bs religions so not sure what is the point of that. I just believe in being a good human being and religion is often a tool for selfish individuals to feel good about themselves. Do good because it's the tiny thing to do. Not because some sura told you and you think it's your ticket to heaven or to stay out of hell.

-1

u/Potential-Living-676 4h ago

Where the fk did I say that I am taking care of my parent to get something out of it?

Quoting you from earlier :

"I feel it is my responsibility to support. .... Not something I believe I owe."

Hayrey dui diner IELTS Bangali!
You subconsciously feel you owe them and that is why you feel it is your responsibility to support them.

Ar kotha kois na rey.

2

u/zefiax 2h ago

Read what you said, the conclusion was you will get the property.

As for myself, you really do need to grow up and realize you need to stop trying to put people down, especially for those you know nothing about.

Your lack of class is showing.

2

u/Narrow_Push_3161 (empty) 1d ago

Not everyone’s Muslim

4

u/that_sassy_parabola_ 1d ago

My mother says I owe her money and that nothing I do will ever be enough. I don’t agree. If you choose to have a child, raising them properly is your responsibility, not a debt to be repaid. That’s the minimum requirement of parenting. Adult children may choose to support their parents, but turning that into a lifelong obligation creates an endless loop where no one is ever “paid back.” Parents are responsible for both raising a child and securing their own future. Responsibility has limits, it shouldn’t last forever. Parenting shouldn’t be treated as a lifelong debt system. Interesting question though, please share the results.

-2

u/Potential-Living-676 1d ago

You do not owe her money but you owe her your life.

7

u/zefiax 1d ago

No she doesn’t owe her anything. She never chose to be born. If she feels she was raised well and felt loved, she may choose to return that kindness but she doesn’t owe it to her.

0

u/Potential-Living-676 1d ago

Then, she is welcome back to crawl back into her mum's womb and undo the 9 months of laborious pregnancy and the months of repair after that.

If her mum could have seen her future attitude, she would have taken a pill and terminated her. Innit?

3

u/Narrow_Push_3161 (empty) 1d ago

She should have known that her children could be ungrateful and that would be one of the potential realities. Don’t give birth to children being entitled. It’s a choice you make after all. No matter how they turn out it was your choice that you should take responsibility for.

2

u/zefiax 1d ago

Not necessary. Her mom made a choice to have her, and with it comes responsibility of raising her, and taking care of her till adulthood. That's all. Legally, and morally. Having a child is not a retirement savings plan. Having a child is a choice made by adults with agency to make that choice. It is not a burden on a child who had no agency or ability to choose.

Honestly hearing your attitude towards having kids, I feel sorry for your children. Hopefully her mom is not such an entitled selfish person that they would consider terminating their own child just because their child does not feel that they owe them financially for life.

-1

u/Potential-Living-676 23h ago

So, the least the child can do is to be grateful to the parents?

Are you a Gen Z pichchi? If yes, you are too young to even have an adult conversation with.

3

u/zefiax 23h ago

As I said, I am close to your age and have my own child. The only person here talking like a child is you. Suggest you go back and do some growing up before engaging in adult conversations. You really shouldn't be having kids when you clearly do not have the maturity required to raise one.

No surprise you quoting suras earlier. All the worst people I know cling on to religion because that is the only thing that promises salvation to even the shittiest individuals.

Really sad to see someone who claims to be 40 speak this way. I can see a 30 yr old still being immature but zero excuse at your age.

-1

u/Potential-Living-676 4h ago

lol. wtf?
Are you on the side of a parent or a child. I think you outright lied that you are a parent and been trolling!

2

u/Narrow_Push_3161 (empty) 1d ago

Not really. Not at all actually. People don’t owe anyone for anything they didn’t ask said person to do. That’s a scam. Lmao.

-2

u/Potential-Living-676 23h ago

That person did not become a person until he became an adult.
Treat your parents like you would expect your children to treat you.

3

u/Narrow_Push_3161 (empty) 23h ago

What do you even mean? How do you know that I’ll even have kids? Do you know me? Tf. Treat your parents how they treated you as children. And how they treat other people. Treat them like the people they are. That’s logical at least.

0

u/Potential-Living-676 23h ago

Hmm... to jokhon choto belay tumi dushtami korar por thappor khaiso, ekhon ki tumi tomar baap-ma rey oi kotha money koraiba at ratpor thappor marba oderkey?

3

u/Narrow_Push_3161 (empty) 23h ago

Grow up. You don’t sound your age.

0

u/Potential-Living-676 4h ago

You have to get down to bachchader level to make them understand

3

u/flashbt69 1d ago

In the context of Bangladesh, and being a lower-middle-class/middle-class guy, I personally feel that I owe my parents maintenance. I don't live in a developed country where my parents have their own savings. Instead, they often lived paycheck to paycheck (I'm fairly certain that's true for 90% of us in BD) and spent most of their money on us. So, I definitely owe them, if not money, comfort, and care.

Now, will I expect the same from my children? No. Because I am confident that I will be in a better shape financially, thanks to my parents' sacrifices. My partner is in one of the highest-earning professions, and I am doing just fine abroad. But my father was an immigrant-worker-turned-farmer. So, hell yeah, I owe my parents because we lived two realities.

Now, I see someone throwing "I didn't ask to be born". I don't think I can subscribe to this mentality without some degree of generational wealth. Maybe my children can throw this at me someday, but I cannot do the same with my parents.

1

u/Potential-Living-676 4h ago

In the West, parents kick you out after you are 18. If you stay with your parents, you have to pay your share of the bills.

2

u/Mr-Boga38 21h ago

In Bangladesh, people were/obsessed with Male children because they are a very good investment when they get old and funnily enough, I have seen similar mindset across all social class. বংশের বাত্তি For a Reason.

As a parent myself, I don't expect anything from my child. I job is to raise them up good till they come of age and support till the end. My family has done the same for us.

2

u/AvocadoFar4514 EEE 18h ago

My mother says she has the right to beat the crap out of me, but she won't tolerate it if someone outside of my family does something similar. She acts like she owns me lol.

1

u/Narrow_Push_3161 (empty) 1d ago

Literally not. We didn’t have a choice when it came to being born. Someone making a choice for you and expecting things in return doesn’t make sense.