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As a parent of grown children and having been a child that has already lost her own parents, I think it is my duty to see that I divide what I have equally as much as possible with my children. It should not be left up to the court or one of the children to do the right thing by the other one. My parents had very little and what they did have was sold and divided by their four daughters. We never got mad at each other but to say feelings were totally left unhurt would not exactly be right either. We loved each other enough though to realize that material things do not matter in the long run.

I have nothing of great value and chances are that my children won't want what I have anyway. I see that more and more as I get older and they accumulate just exactly what they need for themselves without any help from their dad or me.
Recently I suggested to my daughter and daughter-in-law to go through the house and if there was anything at all that they wanted to just name it and they could have it. They both sat like knots on a log so that told me they weren't too interested in my possessions that were once so important to me. I only pray that after I am gone they won't change and get greedy over what has been left. That is why everything needs to be put down on paper or video as you would like for things to go after your passing on. The least amount of clutter left in your life at your death the better it will be for the children. If only we could learn this when we are young. We'd have more money and far less material things to deal with and dividing money is much easier to split down the middle than possessions and when money is divided evenly and explained to the children while you are living that what you have will be done that way then there is less apt to be jealously with one or the other. They will know what to expect and there will be no surprises to cause greed to arise in one or the other.

Learn more about this author, Mary E. Preece.
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