A woman in China is suing her son for $54,000 (approx ₹ 51 lakh) in childcare fees after raising her granddaughter by herself for almost 15 years.
Reportedly, the incident that took place last year came to light after a local court recently disclosed details of the case.
The woman, identified as Xu, moved in with her son after divorcing her husband, reported Xinmin Evening News. Over the years, Xu raised the kid all by herself, including paying for the kid’s education, medical bills, and living expenses. He moved out of his house, leaving his daughter in his mother’s care.
She started taking care of her granddaughter after her son Liang got divorced in 2014. At that time, the kid was 4 years old. After 15 years, the conflict escalated when Liang remarried.
Reacting to the incident, a Chinese social media user wrote, “If China aims to promote higher birth rates, it requires a stronger childcare infrastructure, readily accessible services, and supportive policies, rather than relying on older generations to bear the burden.”
However, Liang argued that he tried taking care of his daughter to the best of his ability.
Xu filed the lawsuit against her son, accusing him of lacking a “sense of family responsibility” and claiming he failed to fulfil his duties as a father. She said that it is becoming hard for her to carry the financial burden alone. “Compensation can take various forms,” Zhang Liyong, a social work scholar from Hubei province, told South China Morning Post (SCMP). The social worker added, “Families can share living costs and engage in more open communication, while society should work to expand public childcare services.”
