In India middle class always suffers in any case, whether it's education, expenses, buying home, go on vacation or saving. Let's take an example to understand why don't Indian parents enjoy life like foreign parents rather than depend on their children in their old age?
IP - Indian Parents.
IK - Indian Kids.
At the age of 8:
IK - Let's go on a vacation.
IP - No, kiddo. We are saving money for your school term fees.
At the age of 16:
IK - Let's go on a vacation, please?
IP - Sorry, kid. We are saving money for your college education.
At the age of 21:
IK - I'm an engineer and I have a job that pays me enough. Come, let's go on a vacation, now.
IP - You did mention about pursuing your masters the other day, right? Well, dad & I are saving money for that now. Some other time, maybe?
At the age of 25:
IK - Mom, dad ; we have have enough money. I'm earning as well. You have saved enough for my masters, too. Why don't you guys go out and have some fun?
IP - We are saving money for your marriage. Once after you get married, maybe?
At the age of 29:
IK - Why don't you guys go out and have some freaking fun? For God's sake, I have everything in my life now. Look guys, I even have kids now and you people should really go and have some fun now.
IP - We are having fun, you silly. With your kids, of course. We're too old to go out and have fun, you see. And, we are really happy about the fact that you've been so kind and supportive towards us. We are having fun, don't worry about us. Go on do what you got to do.
You do get the picture, right?
TL;DR
Some of our parents work their tails off to make both ends meet. A normal middle class parent doesn't save money to go on vacations here ; we are our parents dream and hence all their savings are spent on us - our education, mainly. For instance, in my house, when I was growing up, my parents particularly made a point to save a part of their earnings just to pay my term fees during my schooling.
My parents started their life from scratch after my dad incurred a heavy loss in his business and hence we lived in abject poverty for a few years [My parents rejected help from extended family members. Both of my parents were working, but it just wasn't enough!] - We used to have an almost empty pantry in our house those days yet, my parents made sure to provide me 2 Roties (roties - Google Search) and a piece of pickle thrice a day mostly and twice a day at times. I have seen my parents go to sleep without having their dinner while I was given a banana or two to eat when they could not afford to provide roties. My education was their priority and I was their dream. Because of my dad's hard work, we now live a really good life. We have everything at home. I'm an engineer and I have a really good backup and I am still my parents priority. I'm the center of their happiness. My dreams have become theirs. My parents would extremely be happy to see me go on a world tour, but they won't do the same. Hard earned money, you see :) I get to enjoy the benefits of their hard work but I don't go on a spending spree at any cost.
And about them being dependent on us - We don't see it that way. It is our way of *trying* to repay their love - which we will never be able to, anyway. They are our watchful protectors. Who doesn't want one by their side, right? Having said that, they don't really depend on us in the first place. We are not obliged to stick around them. We are free to settle down in any part of this world but some of us just decide to take sides with them and take care of them after they become really old. And hey, they do enjoy their lives, you know? We kids do make sure to send them on vacations and pilgrimages and whatnot? So, they do enjoy their lives - just the Indian way, you see? :)
IP - Indian Parents.
IK - Indian Kids.
At the age of 8:
IK - Let's go on a vacation.
IP - No, kiddo. We are saving money for your school term fees.
At the age of 16:
IK - Let's go on a vacation, please?
IP - Sorry, kid. We are saving money for your college education.
At the age of 21:
IK - I'm an engineer and I have a job that pays me enough. Come, let's go on a vacation, now.
IP - You did mention about pursuing your masters the other day, right? Well, dad & I are saving money for that now. Some other time, maybe?
At the age of 25:
IK - Mom, dad ; we have have enough money. I'm earning as well. You have saved enough for my masters, too. Why don't you guys go out and have some fun?
IP - We are saving money for your marriage. Once after you get married, maybe?
At the age of 29:
IK - Why don't you guys go out and have some freaking fun? For God's sake, I have everything in my life now. Look guys, I even have kids now and you people should really go and have some fun now.
IP - We are having fun, you silly. With your kids, of course. We're too old to go out and have fun, you see. And, we are really happy about the fact that you've been so kind and supportive towards us. We are having fun, don't worry about us. Go on do what you got to do.
You do get the picture, right?
TL;DR
Some of our parents work their tails off to make both ends meet. A normal middle class parent doesn't save money to go on vacations here ; we are our parents dream and hence all their savings are spent on us - our education, mainly. For instance, in my house, when I was growing up, my parents particularly made a point to save a part of their earnings just to pay my term fees during my schooling.
My parents started their life from scratch after my dad incurred a heavy loss in his business and hence we lived in abject poverty for a few years [My parents rejected help from extended family members. Both of my parents were working, but it just wasn't enough!] - We used to have an almost empty pantry in our house those days yet, my parents made sure to provide me 2 Roties (roties - Google Search) and a piece of pickle thrice a day mostly and twice a day at times. I have seen my parents go to sleep without having their dinner while I was given a banana or two to eat when they could not afford to provide roties. My education was their priority and I was their dream. Because of my dad's hard work, we now live a really good life. We have everything at home. I'm an engineer and I have a really good backup and I am still my parents priority. I'm the center of their happiness. My dreams have become theirs. My parents would extremely be happy to see me go on a world tour, but they won't do the same. Hard earned money, you see :) I get to enjoy the benefits of their hard work but I don't go on a spending spree at any cost.
And about them being dependent on us - We don't see it that way. It is our way of *trying* to repay their love - which we will never be able to, anyway. They are our watchful protectors. Who doesn't want one by their side, right? Having said that, they don't really depend on us in the first place. We are not obliged to stick around them. We are free to settle down in any part of this world but some of us just decide to take sides with them and take care of them after they become really old. And hey, they do enjoy their lives, you know? We kids do make sure to send them on vacations and pilgrimages and whatnot? So, they do enjoy their lives - just the Indian way, you see? :)
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