‘Stop spending entire life savings building family home’: Gurgaon CEO’s advice to Indian parents divides internet

The idea of building a house for one’s children has long been seen as a symbol of security and success in many Indian families. However, a Gurugram-based startup founder has challenged this mindset, saying parents may be investing their life savings in homes their children may never live in.The post quickly gained traction online and drew mixed reactions from users. (Pexels/Representational image)In a post on X, Jasveer Singh, co-founder and CEO of Knot Dating, urged Indian parents to rethink the practice of spending their life savings on building a “family home” for their children. “This post is for Indian parents. And for future Indian parents. Stop building houses for your son and daughter. You are solving the wrong problem,” Singh wrote.He said that many parents assume their children will eventually return to live in the home built for them. However, he argued that reality often unfolds differently as younger generations pursue education, careers and opportunities in other cities or countries.Singh said that the thought occurred to him during a recent visit to his grandfather’s house. He wrote that the home had been built with decades of savings and sacrifices, with the intention that the next generation would live there. “They studied well. Built careers. Moved to bigger cities. One even moved to the US. Life upgraded for them. Opportunities pulled them elsewhere. And slowly the house that once held dreams now sits quietly with no one to light a lamp in the evening. Locked. Almost abandoned,” he wrote.He argued that while parents want their children to grow and earn more, they also expect them to continue living in homes built decades earlier – a contradiction, according to him. “If your son or daughter earns 10x more than you, their lifestyle will also change. Their city may change. Their home will change. Their world will change. They are not going to live in the same house,” Singh added.He suggested that instead of putting their entire savings into property meant for their children, parents prioritise financial flexibility and their own well-being. “Keep your money liquid. Use it to improve your own life. But please stop sacrificing your entire life to build a house for them,” he concluded.(Also Read: Founder explains why life in a Gurgaon condo is ‘far superior’ to South Delhi home)How did social media react?The post quickly gained traction online and drew mixed reactions from users. Some said having a family home still provides emotional security, while others agreed with Singh’s argument, pointing to changing migration patterns.One user wrote, “I’m not sure about others, but parents having a home, no matter how big or small, gives a mental cushion that even on a bad day I will have a roof over my head. That helps me take risks in life, move ahead with my dreams, and live life on my terms.”“This is the unspoken reality of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities across India right now. We are witnessing a massive demographic shift where ambition pulls the youth to metros or abroad, leaving behind ghost mansions. Parents must prioritize their own retirement corpus over building empty monuments. Harsh, but true,” commented another.“As a parent, I invest in a house for my child to have as a backup. It is usually the worst-case option for the child, at least as a middle-class or upper-middle-class parent,” wrote a third user.“And the constant pressure of ‘we sacrificed our lives for our children’ when the choice was all theirs. I really wish parents live their life happier and raised happier and eligible children. This cycle of one sided sarcifice and expectation should end. Good for neither of them,” expressed another.