A woman in eastern China took legal action against her son, seeking more than 360,000 yuan (US$54,000) in compensation for her role in caring for his daughter.
This dramatic case has ignited a nationwide debate concerning evolving perspectives on grandparental childcare responsibilities.
In April, a Shanghai court disclosed details of a case from last year involving Xu, a woman in her 60s, who sued her son, surnamed Liang.
Years after divorcing her husband, Xu had been living with her son. Following Liang’s divorce in 2014, when his daughter was just four years old, Xu assumed most of the responsibility for raising the child. This included covering her living expenses, medical bills, and educational costs, according to a report by Xinmin Evening News.
In the lawsuit, Xu accused her son of lacking a “sense of family responsibility” and failing to fulfil his duties as a father. Liang contended that he had supported his daughter to the best of his ability, given his modest monthly income of only 3,000 yuan (US$450) at that time.
The conflict escalated after Liang remarried and moved out with his new wife, leaving his daughter in Xu’s care. After 15 years of caregiving, Xu expressed that she could no longer continue due to financial pressures and sought compensation from her son.
This dispute is emblematic of a broader debate in China surrounding “grandparenting fees.”
In a separate case disclosed by a Beijing court, grandparents who supported their granddaughter’s expenses since she was one year old later sued their son and daughter-in-law for 320,000 yuan (US$48,000) in childcare costs
Other cases have highlighted the challenges faced by elderly carers. In August, a 59-year-old woman in Hunan province in southern China was diagnosed with anxiety after losing 20kg while assisting her son in caring for his child for six months.
Such situations have sparked discussions on whether grandparental childcare should be regarded simply as a family obligation or acknowledged as unpaid labour.
Traditional Chinese families have long honoured multigenerational support, with Confucian values emphasising mutual obligations between generations. However, urbanisation and shifting lifestyles have altered these dynamics significantly.
As rural workers migrate to cities, grandparents have increasingly become the primary carers for left-behind children. In urban areas, the rise of dual-income households and limited childcare options have also compelled many grandparents to step in.
Once perceived as a natural expression of selfless devotion, grandparental childcare is now increasingly recognised as valuable caregiving labour. Improved pensions and changing retirement lifestyles are reshaping older adults’ expectations, as noted by Zhang Liyong, a social work scholar from Hubei province, in an interview with the SCMP.
“Compensation can take various forms,” Zhang remarked. “Families can share living costs and engage in more open communication, while society should work to expand public childcare services.”
Legal experts have emphasised that disputes over “grandparenting fees” are not about commercialising family relationships; rather, they seek to clarify responsibilities.
Liu Gui’e, a lawyer at Shanghai Shentong Law Firm, stated in mainland media Nanfeng Chuang that parents remain primarily accountable for raising their children, with grandparents stepping in only when parents are unable to provide care.
Some online observers contend that the issue underscores deeper inadequacies within China’s childcare system.
“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,” one internet user suggested. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
