[vaksel]

kids are an investment...they are your safety net...worse comes to worst, you can rely on them to support you in your late days if things go terribly wrong.

its a good way to avoid ending up on the street...you'll always be able to get room and board with your kids.

Since our generation won't get any social security or pensions to live off, we are going to need all the help we can get if things go south.

[alttag]

Years ago I asked my mother about her retirement investments (she's been a career stay-at-home mom, for which I was grateful).

She responded that she had eight retirement plans, and I was the oldest.

[laaph]

You can not rely on your kids to support you. I would not be making plans as such.

Be nice to your kids, and hopefully they will give you room and board in case of emergency -- but I've tried to help my parents many time only to regret it.

[vaksel]

I guess i should have mentioned that this relies on you actually having a good relationship with your kids.

So try to avoid beating them for fun...and you'll be fine.

I'm not talking about relying on your kids to pay your bills etc...but more of an extreme situation where you are just making sure you don't end up begging on the streets

[Shaanie]

If you saved all the money you spent on your kid(s), you'd probably have a pretty decent safety net.

[mellifluousmind]

Maybe in Asia, this "taking care of elderly" mentality is strong. Here in States, I actually think that you are on your own is more true. You can't depend on your kids to take care of you. If you do, you can still end up being on the street.

In my view, kids are not investment. They take out much resources from you, and you do so willingly because you love them. As they get older, they may or may not show appreciation, depends on your relationship with them.

[vaksel]

I think that's been true in the past, but it's going to change as more and more college students end up moving back in with their parents after college.