A must Read: Are Children retirement plans of their parents?

FBI

The answer can be "yes" and "no"; and the "yes" or "no" could be right or wrong depending on who is giving the answer.

My dad died when I was barely 6. My mum scrubbed, toiled and borrowed to make sure we survived. With sweat and tears she made sure I went to school to become a lawyer. So don't tell me what I'm or what I'm not to my mother.

I'm her retirement plan. I'm her cheque book. I'm her ATM. I'm any other damn thing the old woman wants me to be to make her old age comfortable, a little bit.

Besides, I'm not my mother. She didn't raise me based on my knowledge, education and exposure. She raised me based on what she knew not what I know. So, if according to what she knew, a child is a retirement plan, then I'm her retirement plan; so help me God.

So, when a person says "a child is not a retirement plan", directing this to their parents, all I see is a selfish, stingy and irresponsible person.

But it's different when this statement is made by parents, directing it to their children. I see parents who say their children are not retirement plans as reasonable.

It's a risky thing to leave something as important as a retirement plan to be determined by the future pay cheque of another human being. What if the child never breaks even? What if the child grows up to be a stingy human being who will go around shouting "papa leave me alone, I'm your child, but I'm  not your retirement plan"? Very risky. Right?

Besides, I believe that it's a sign of wealth not to depend on your children in your old age. I should rather be gathering inheritance for them.

The Bible in Proverbs 13:22 says: "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children..." He does not just prepare for his children's future, but for his grandchildren's.

English Standard Version of the Bible, 2 Corinthians 12:14, says: "For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children."

I will train up my child the best I can. I will spare no cost. But the nigger is not my retirement plan. My retirement plan is in the real estate, the shares, the bonds, the treasury bills, the multiple streams of income I will invest in before I retire.

So, my children are not my retirement plan, but I'm my mother's retirement plan. It's about different times, different places, different opportunities, different orientations, different exposures and different revelations. This last paragraph should tell you everything about this issue but if you don't get it now, be patient with yourself, you will get it eventually.

Written By First Baba Isa (FBI)