Some parents do not help their children financially despite being well-off. Illustration photo by Read/Pham Duy
My parents are quite wealthy, but due to their preference for sons over daughters, I have had to fend for myself for the past 27 years.
Recently, I have come across many stories about unfair inheritance practices by parents. I can relate deeply to these experiences as I am in a similar situation. However, I have never resented my parents for the preferential treatment they gave my brother over me.
I was born in a poor coastal village. My parents were hardworking people. They ran a small business and were frugal, so our family’s financial situation was relatively wealthy compared to others in the community. However, traditional thinking persisted in my family.
As a daughter, I was forced to drop out of school in the ninth grade. I was married off when I was quite young. My husband’s family was very poor, and though he was four years older than me, he was immature and unhelpful. I had to take on a variety of jobs to make ends meet, from manual labor to trading local goods.
Perhaps my persistence paid off, as I later became the owner of a respected local restaurant. I faced numerous challenges on my own, with no support from my family. Even the initial capital for my business came from high-interest loans, as my parents, despite having substantial savings and assets, never offered financial assistance. But I always reminded myself that my life was my own responsibility, and I could not rely on others.
After 27 years of walking my own path, I now consider myself successful in the life I have built. I can financially support my parents and take them on trips throughout Vietnam.
Despite the unequal treatment, I have never judged or criticized my parents. After navigating the highs and lows of life, my foremost priority now is their happiness and well-being.
My parents are financially well-off and lack nothing, yet I still give them money whenever I visit. They do not spend it but deposit it into a bank account instead. Now in their 70s, my parents remain mentally sharp and in good health. To me, they will always be right, and they are the people I love most in this world.
Should parents offer financial assistance to their children if they have the means to do so?
*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match Read’ viewpoints.
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