28-Year-Old Son Receives 200,000 VND Daily from Parents: A New Path for Vietnamese Youth

In central Vietnam, a 28-year-old man receives 200,000 VND (approximately $8 USD) daily from his parents for breakfast and coffee before engaging with their agricultural produce business. The man, a university graduate, previously worked in urban areas but changed jobs every two years. He has now returned to his hometown to live with his parents. Each morning, his mother gives him the 200,000 VND. He uses this for breakfast and coffee before returning home to prepare meals, which he then delivers to his parents at their agricultural produce trading center at lunchtime. While this might appear as financial dependence on parents for a 28-year-old, the author views the situation differently. The author interprets this period as a preparatory phase for the son to eventually take over the family business. Instead of clinging to unstable urban jobs, he is gaining an opportunity to learn the operational aspects of the family enterprise while living close to his parents. This case suggests that for young Vietnamese today, a university degree does not necessarily mandate settling in a city, renting an apartment, and facing job pressures to be considered successful. If a family possesses existing businesses, land, or a commercial base, it presents a viable path for young people to participate and eventually inherit these assets. In many rural parts of Vietnam, young people are increasingly migrating to cities, leaving elderly parents to manage their businesses alone. A young person returning home not only supplements the workforce but can also help preserve family businesses and traditional crafts. Naturally, the crucial factor remains whether the son is genuinely working and has future plans. If at 28, he is merely receiving money, indulging in leisure without contributing or intending to build an independent life, then it represents a different scenario, the author notes.