"You never call, you never come over -- I'm gonna sue you"

The classic parental lament... updated?

Could be -- at least in China, starting July 1, according to an April 6 article in the Toronto Star, "Chinese parents can sue adult kids — for not visiting enough."

The measure may be a contemporary expression of a traditional Chinese value, but it's also a cost-cutting measure. According to the Star article, "China’s working-age citizens, ages 15 to 59, fell as a share of the population last year, and the National Committee on Aging estimates people 60 years and older will rise to 487 million by 2053 from 185 million in 2011." Children who care for their parents relieve the state of that burden.

China isn't the only country with a graying population. Might we see similar legislation here at some point?

A similar American law would raise a host of questions.

How often would a child have to visit to avoid legal trouble?

Would an only child have to visit more often than one of six siblings?

How many phone calls would be deemed equivalent to one in-person visit? Should a call from a child who lives 1,000 miles away count less than a call from one who lives 10 miles away?

Would holiday visits count more -- or less -- than visits on non-holiday weekends?

Does a visit count if the child brings his or her laundry? (Not if Mom has to do it, surely.) What if Mom cooks?