As somebody's child, and now also three people's mother, my only answer to this is: expecting your children to provide you happiness and to take care of you in your old age. My mother placed constant pressure on me as a child that it was going to be my job to look after her when she got older. (Which as it turned out never happened as she died at 60 of ALS). She was a single mother and always made me feel that I was the only thing in her life that could make her happy. This is too much pressure for a child, and ultimately a very selfish expectation. In the end it pushed me to the other end of the spectrum, moving to a different country, away from her. My children bring me great happiness. But I do not EXPECT this from them. Nor do I expect them to take care of me and my husband when we grow old. With any luck we will have raised them with the right morals and to be kind enough to do what they feel is right in their lives. That's my job.