My father, 74, refuses to let me pay for his groceries, even though his pension barely covers rent. He says accepting money would make him a burden, and I say forcing him to struggle is worse. But when I ask friends, half say their parents happily accept monthly cash — so maybe the resentment in our family isn't about the money itself, but about what it symbolizes. Is expecting adult children to support aging parents a universal duty, or a cultural relic that stresses everyone out?