The Government of China Would Appreciate It if You Visited Your Parents Once in a While, Huh?

So, apparently the Chinese have passed a law that went into effect yesterday requiring people to care for their elderly parents, complete with provisions requiring grown children to visit them regularly- or at the least give them regular phone calls. While the specifics aren't clear, one thing is very clear:

What is clear, though, is this: according to China Daily, “[p]arents whose children live apart from them and fail to visit regularly can ask for mediation or file a lawsuit.”

While I see visiting and calling to check on elderly parents as a good thing I feel like a government regulating such is overly invasive. What if the grown children and elderly parents can't stand each other and haven't spoken for years and neither has any desire to? What if financial circumstances don't allow the luxury of a phone? And honestly, should parents be able to sue their children for failing to visit or call as often as they'd like?

The Government of China Would Appreciate It if You Visited Your Parents Once in a While, Huh?

I also see problems with people being able to get medication- just because your kids don't visit? Sounds like Big Pharma in China may possibly have a hand in all of this. What do you think?

reply to post by littled16


Mediation.....Not medication....

Anywho......How can anyone force someone to do this? I would imagine only D-bag parents would sue their own children for not visiting....Most will just ignore this like nothing new and go about their lives....

I just don't understand how they think they can pass a law about personal issues like this? Glad I live in the USA....kinda

I think the Chinese government wants us older people dead, I'd have to be if I wanted to visit my parents.

reply to post by Chrisfishenstein

Fabulous news for makers of anti-anxiety medication and alcohol:

From the article. I can see doctors flipping out the prescription pads due to all of the mental anguish claimed over the "law suits".

reply to post by rickymouse
I visit both of my parents frequently and call them both regularly, but I wouldn't want the government mandating that I do it. To me that's crossing the line. However these days it's sad that many people don't care for their elderly parents. For the Chinese govt. to get involved it must be a pretty bad problem there.

reply to post by littled16


I thought it used to be a tradition in China to take care of your parents. I suppose people there have begun to lose traditions also.

God forbid Kids give back to parents ((THIS would NEVER happen in America why the first thiongs we teach our kids is NOTHING else mattersa EXCEPT what you want here and NOW.
Leave it to the us to say HOW BAD it would be for kids to care for there parents . Bet you havent talked with yours in years ((Unless you wanted money that is .
Caring How UN American can you get? Honstly the only way you would ever get kids to help parents in the US is with a law like this. We tought our children well they are greedy egeotistic self centered .Just like Us.

I come from a big family and my parents live in Missouri while I reside in Dallas. Other family members would rib me about going up there to see them but I was always too busy to find the time.

I completely regret that. My dad died a few years ago and I never got to spend time with him and tell him how much I loved him.

reply to post by midnightstar
Troll someone else sir/madame. I see my parents regularly and call them every other day. The government should not have to mandate such a thing. My own children either see or call ME every day as well. Raise your children properly and you won't have to worry about such things rather than letting the internet and video games raise them for you.

reply to post by texasgirl
I feel for you. Time lost can never be regained.

Even when unable to see my parents for some reason I still call them at least every other day, even if they or I am out of town. They are older, and I'm no spring chicken myself, so every day counts.