COMMENT | A friend told his daughter, a medical practitioner, to bank into his account a monthly allowance. Not that he needed the money, he said.

It was symbolic. It was about teaching her the value of “filial piety” that she could pass on to her children.

Another, a retired couple, dismissed such arrangements. What they hoped was not financial support from their son, but more frequent visits for weekend meals. Any allowance, they said, would be a bonus.

Then, there is the father. Divorced and living off a modest pension in a nursing home. He has not heard from his son for years. His savings will gradually run out. What then?

These scenarios reflect the different parent-child relationships. The first is...