Woman Sues Son For RM217,000 After Raising His Daughter For 15 Years

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A woman in China has sued her son for "grandparenting fees"

According to the South China Morning Post, the woman in her 60s, surnamed Xu, recently took her son to court in Shanghai.

She demanded more than 360,000 yuan (RM217,000) for raising her granddaughter for over 15 years.

The dispute started after her son, Liang, divorced in 2014 and eventually moved out with his new wife, leaving Xu to cover her granddaughter's living, medical, and educational expenses entirely on her own

Feeling a severe financial strain, Xu took legal action, accusing Liang of lacking family responsibility and failing his duties as a father.

In his defence, Liang argued he provided what he could on his modest monthly salary of 3,000 yuan (RM1,800) at the time.

This lawsuit taps into a growing national conversation in China about the reality of unpaid caregiving labour.

With dual-income households rising and shifting retirement expectations, older adults are pushing back against traditional multigenerational obligations

In a similar case in Beijing, grandparents sued for 320,000 yuan (RM193,000), while a woman in southern China developed anxiety after losing 20kg caring for her grandchild.

Discussing the need for systemic change, an Internet user said, "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."