The Norm that Sons Should Support Elderly Parents in a Regional City in China

Analysis of Narratives by Middle-Aged Men with Sibling

Abstract

In this study, intensive interviews were conducted with economically stable middle-aged men with siblings in regional cities in China, with the aim of eluci- dating how they perceive and interpret their roles in providing care for aging parents based on their narratives. The results reveal that economically stable middle-aged men（sons）in contemporary urban China are bound by the “norms for sons supporting elderly parents” due to their economic stability. Conse- quently, they tend to place a high value on their own contributions to elderly parent care while simultaneously undervaluing the caregiving efforts of their fe- male siblings（daughters）. Furthermore, despite the practical transition from “son-to-daughter support for elderly parents,” economically stable sons find themselves constrained by the “norms for sons supporting elderly parents” and make desperate attempts to maintain their “son’s identity.” As a result, it is sug- gestsed that the apparent strengthening of family bonds in the context of elderly parent care is not genuinely occurring. Instead, it is revealed that such strength- ening is observed among individuals who adhere to the norms associated with caregiving roles within the family, especially in the context of contemporary ur- ban China.