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Mon 9 Sep, 2013 09:33 am
My step-siblings think me and my sisters are trying to keep them from inheriting our father's military memorabilia. My father married their mother 40+ years ago and adopted her three young kids. As they grew up, they were allowed to know and visit their birth father as they saw fit. My father died and all of his possessions passed onto my step mom. When all 6 kids sit down to divide his personal property, his 3 blood children believe the bulk of his military possessions should come to us because it's something we can pass on through our bloodline. His bond with my step (adopted) siblings really stops at them and the grandchildren who knew him. The great grands and great great grands won't really know or care who he was because he's not in their bloodline. Future generations will still be attached to him biologically whether they know him or not and can appreciate his military items as they pass through the coming generations. His bio kids believe his personal items should go to the step/adopted kids and his military possessions should be given to his bloodline. Any input on this? Does this sound unreasonable to ask that all of his kids look towards the future appreciation of these items?
@Reid1020,
This does not sound unreasonable. As long as all of the kids receive something of his to remember him, your proposal sounds fair. I've traced my family tree and I completely understand the desire to possess an item that once belonged to an ancestor. An adopted family and even step family can have strong ties to the current generation involved, but for generations down the road, this tie will likely not matter nor be traced because it's not the blood from where they came. Military honors are an excellent memoribilia to pass through generations. I hope your siblings understand your wishes are not just for you but for your fathers future family members to cherish.
IMHO - Blood line has nothing to do with this. We are talking about emotional connections here and it sounds like some of them have a reason to want a link to him - just like you do.
Why not frame them all in a display box and let everyone have it for 6 months or so. A kind of traveling memento of father/ grandfather?
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