Children are not their parents’ pension

Dear Pastor, My mother had six children and she used to refer to us as her ‘pension’. I wish Jamaican parents would stop thinking of us as their pension.

Children are not your investments or assets. That’s why at a certain age parents are no longer responsible for children, and they won’t go to prison if they say no to their adult children.

I’m a single mother of two children. I work hard and support my children by myself. One has to remember what the Bible says a man should do.

“A man should leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife.” I want to tell fathers that just because their children are living abroad, that does not mean that they are rich and in the position to Dear M.B., I can say without reservation that you are not a good daughter. The very tone of your letter indicates that you do not feel obligated at all to assist your parents financially, and you should be ashamed of yourself.

I am not saying that parents should consider children as their old-age pension. But, children ought to be taught that the responsibility of taking care of their parents, who may be unable to fend for themselves, is the children’s responsibility.

And, it is a curse upon children to not support needy parents. So, I say to you without apology, shame on you if your turn your back on your parents. You are bringing a curse upon yourself.

Yes, it is true that some parents were careless. They had too many children and they did not save anything for old age. But, some spent all that they had on their children.

On the other hand, there are some parents, some good-for-nothing fathers and mothers too, who did Pastor support them financially.

Perhaps these people have families of their own, and supporting their parents would deprive their children of their needs. And, Pastor, that would be a sin to deprive their children. Don’t you think so?

Yes, I believe children should help their parents if they are in a position to help. I just want Jamaicans to know that most children help out of the goodness of their hearts and not because they are obligated.

Parents, remember that you, and not your children are responsible for the future. After all, we now have our own families to think about, as well as our own futures to prepare for. M.B. not support their children, and even abandoned them.

And, in their senior years, they look to these very children to support them. Such parents are foolish, and may suffer as a result of what they did to these children.

But, let it be known that children should not allow their parents to suffer. To do so, I repeat, is to bring a curse upon themselves.