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Who Will Take Care of You When You’re Old?
Parents raise you, and in return, you take care of them in their old age. Is that right?
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We’ve all heard it. That question delivered with a mix of concern and warning. The classic line Indian parents use when their children show any hesitation about marriage or having kids.
“Who will take care of you when you’re old?”
And just like that, your life choices get reduced to a retirement plan.
The words hang in the air during family gatherings. They follow you through phone calls that start about work but inevitably turn to your biological clock. They emerge during weddings when relatives point to happy couples and whisper that you could be next.
The Weight of Tradition
Indian families operate on a system built over centuries. A system where children aren’t just extensions of their parents — they’re investments for the future.
It’s not spoken about directly. It’s embedded in our culture. The unwritten contract: parents raise you, and in return, you take care of them in their old age.
