There's a source of truth there, but it's also easy to overstate and to show only this side of the story. My parents' lives revolved around their children too,

There's a source of truth there, but it's also easy to overstate and to show only this side of the story. My parents' lives revolved around their children too, and me and my brother are both working abroad at the moment (for work, love and adventure). My dad hasn't invested much in his social life, hobbies or skills, because he had a family. Divorced with kids out of the house and even out of the country, he's lonely. Meanwhile his childless brothers and sisters have much more active social lives. They're an active part of the family life as well, but it's not the only thing they have going for them.