5 months, 1 week ago

I Didn’t Get a Dime of the Family Inheritance. Now I’m Faced With Explaining That to My Kids.

Care and Feeding is Slate’s parenting advice column. And I imagine that your goodwill toward Charlotte goes beyond not being resentful about your “disinheritance”—I imagine that Charlotte’s inheritance helps assuage any guilt you feel about her having assumed the entire burden. “Why didn’t Grandma give us anything?” should be answered, truthfully, “Grandma didn’t give your cousins these gifts—their mother, your Aunt Charlotte, did.” If they ask why their cousins think these gifts came from their grandmother, you can tell them that “it might seem confusing, because Grandma gave Aunt Charlotte some money, and she probably used that money to pay for some things.” And if they ask—because kids will sometimes drill down, like good detectives—why Grandma gave Aunt Charlotte money, you can tell them that Aunt Charlotte and Grandma were much closer than you and their grandma were. I’m concerned about the parenting and lifestyle choices my sister, “Danielle,” and my brother-in-law, “Jonathan,” are making. Jonathan and Danielle have a 1-year-old son, “Tyler.” I like being Tyler’s weird aunt, but I worry about Jonathan and Danielle’s refusal to grow up.

Slate
Kids Care Mom My Mom Bed Tell Charlotte Dear Care Jonathan Danielle Your Sister Sister My Sister My Kids My Birthday Her Bed Vince Our Mom Her Kids Tyler Grandma Some Kids

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