SINGAPORE: A young working woman has tugged at heartstrings online after admitting she is scared she might not be doing enough for her ageing parents, even though she gives them money every month.
In a Reddit post that quickly resonated with others, she shared that she is an only child who grew up in a close and loving family.
“I try to give them a monthly allowance and pay for things when I can, but I haven’t been spending as much time with them because of my schedule, which I’m starting to realise I should work on,” she wrote.
“[And] today, I celebrated my mom’s birthday, and it hit me that my parents are getting older, and the truth is that they won’t be here with me forever.”
She then turned to the online community with a simple but emotional question, “How do you show appreciation to your parents as they get older?”
She also asked those who have already lost their parents if there is anything they wish they had done more of.
“Talk to them often, share what’s going on in your life.”
Her post quickly gained traction, drawing dozens of heartfelt responses from users who shared their own ways of showing appreciation to their parents.
One wrote, “I try to treat them to things they won’t bear to spend on for themselves. For their recent wedding anniversary, I booked business class seats (using miles) for them to Taiwan, prepaid a nice dinner, and upgraded their hotel rooms.”
“Sometimes, it aches me to see their hair turning white, and I really wish I could do more. Tiny token of appreciation compared to what they have sacrificed and given me over the years.”
Another shared, “My work requires me to travel, so sometimes I bring my mum along with me, and we go on a lot of mum/daughter vacations. I’d like her to enjoy the moments and travel to countries she likes and live in the moment.”
“She was the sole breadwinner who raised us children, so now I just want her to enjoy life as much as possible.”
A third wrote, “Actually, it’s about spending more time with them, even if y’all are just in the same space doing your own things.”
“My parents love to see me in the house, even if I’m just using my HP in the living room together with the rest of my siblings, so don’t shut yourself in the room. I also have dinner with my family every night, so I get off work on time for this.”
A fourth added, “Talk to them often, share what’s going on in your life, however mundane, e.g., how your workplace is like, your colleagues, what you had for meals, your thoughts and opinions, and more. It makes them feel like they’re a part of your life, even if they don’t experience it with you. I’m a parent of 2, an adult and a teen, and this is what I enjoy most.”
In other news, a 28-year-old woman who was laid off due to company restructuring shared online that she now feels completely lost after spending an entire year searching for a new job and coming up empty.
In a post on the r/askSingapore subreddit, the woman explained that she holds a degree in psychology and previously worked in the consulting industry, specifically in risk management.
Read more: ‘It’s eating me alive’: 28-year-old Singaporean shares despair after a year of job hunting
