I've been fiddling with my 'Will'. Graeme finally signed his and at the time, I asked Sean about some little things I own that I'm considering putting in the Will so as not to have any issues when I step over the bridge.
So I was considering this all and decided to ask the kids (Taryn if you read this - send me your reply) what they'd like to have of mine that would 'represent' me to them. I'm still waiting for Jarod to reply, but Liam (funny guy that he is) said he'd like my glasses and a watch. Courteney, deep thinker and scheemer that she is, looks around then says to me, "Mom, I'd love your shoe collection, but I'm never going to wear a size 7 ." We had such a good giggle about that - but the truth is, my daughters are just little things next to me in size, but in personality and presence, they sure make up for it.
I find it sad that people can squabble over whats left behind, but I guess that's just our greedy nature as humans. I had a terrible experience with this when my dad passed away and I so would hate for any of my children to feel that they were done in or made to feel less important and loved than another, so I'm keeping it as simple as possible and as fair as possible.
I'm sure for everyone, when you go to a friend our family members home, there's something that signifies them to you and that's what I want for each of my children to have ... the thing that says 'Mom' to them when they see it.
Til later ... keep it Simply Sassy.
Til later ... keep it Simply Sassy.
Your impulses are good ones. You want to avoid family squabbles and your focus on which objects would mean something to people sentimentally (instead of financially) is nice.
ReplyDeleteI handle litigation and in the past few years have been steered a lot of business from elder-law attorneys of exactly this type: parents die and the kids cheat/argue with each other. It's awful. The disputes tear families apart. And for what? A few bucks? How sad.
I must say that when DH's parents passed away and when my dad passed away recently nobody bothered with "what am I going to get". Maybe we are blessed that way. We have also set our will so that our children will inherit equally and if there is special things they would want as a reminder I hope to find it out before I go;-) I think the only thing my children are going to fight about is my scrapbook collection.
ReplyDeleteFortunately with only one child I don't have to worry too much ~ he gets nearly everything. There are a couple of my other "children" in my will and I know he understands why they are there.
ReplyDeleteRichie has a very simple philosophy ... even if everything is left to one child it needs to be split equally between all the children.