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Yet to Decide

How many more times will you see your parents?

We count the years with our parents, but we live them in days. Counting the days can feel heavy. It can also help you choose more of them.

Facts last checked: October 2026

Count days, not years

Tim Urban's essay The Tail End counts the days you have left with someone, instead of the years. It shows how much of that time may already be behind you, and how much a small change can add. Tim Urban, The Tail End (2015)

The maths is simple: the days a year you spend together, times the years ahead.

Averages are not predictions

Average life expectancy at birth in India was about 72 years in 2023. A person who reaches 80 lives about 7.6 more years on average. World Bank / UN WPP (2023); UN World Population Prospects (2024)

An average is a rough guide for a large group. It never tells you about one person. Many people live far longer, so put in your own number if you'd like.

If you live far away

When you live in another city or country, the days you have are mostly visits. One more visit a year, or a longer one, changes the count more than anything else.

If this brings up hard feelings, you can call Tele-MANAS for free on 14416, at any time of day.

One small step for today

Pick the date of your next visit or long call, and tell them today.

Work out your own

Put in your own numbers. They stay on your phone. More on this topic

Your numbers

Common answers are filled in. Change the ones you know.

years

Typical: 62 years. Put in yours.

days
days
months
years

Leave it at 0 to use the average for their age in India. Many people live far longer than the average.

out of 10

It only changes the order on your statement.

What waiting costs you

168 days left

At this pace, about 168 more days together

That's 10 days a year for about 16.8 years. Your plan of 30 days a year would add about 336 days.

Thinking about this can feel heavy. If it does, talk to someone: Tele-MANAS 14416 (free, 24×7).

Your small stepCall them today and pick the dates for your next visit together.

When will you do it?

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How we worked this out
  1. Years: about 16.8, the average at age 62 in India. It's a group average, not a prediction.
  2. Days together now: 10 a year × 16.8 years = 168.
  3. With your plan: 30 a year × 16.8 years = 503.
  4. Missed while it waited: (30 minus 10) × 12 months ÷ 12 = 20 days.
  5. How much it matters to you: 7 out of 10. It only changes the order on your statement.

Fixed figures

  • Average years left at 62: 16.8 years

Sources

Sources

Read next

Make my Delay Statement

We show what waiting costs on your own plans. We never tell you what to buy or invest in. Rules and averages change, so check the official pages before you plan anything.