I am the mother of two sons, both of whom I love deeply. When I grow old, I will do my best to be fair when it comes to inheritance.
The child who lives with me will naturally receive a bit more, but that does not mean he will get everything while the other gets nothing. For example, if I have two houses, I will give the more valuable one to the child who lives with me.
If I have only one house, I will divide it equally between them. If they get along and are financially capable, one can buy the other’s share to keep the house. If they cannot afford to do that, they can sell the property and split the proceeds to buy their own places.
As for my cash savings, I will give that to the child who takes care of me in old age, as a way of acknowledging their effort. But all other assets, including land and houses, must be shared equally. No one should receive significantly more than the other.
I believe parents should treat their children fairly, regardless of gender or circumstances. If you cannot be fair, perhaps it is better to have only one child.
This, to me, is the fairest approach as they are all your children. Whether they are rich or poor, the portion they receive from their parents should be about the same—perhaps a difference of 9 to 10, but certainly not as unequal as 5 to 10. Of course, the responsibility of caring for parents should also be shared.
Many parents from older generations still hold on to traditional, patriarchal views. Fortunately, both my parents and in-laws are more progressive. They are in their 70s but have modern mindsets. They, like my husband, agree with my views on inheritance.
We live in modern times. Parents should not cling to outdated ways of thinking. I have seen many elderly people in my hometown change their perspectives as well. They no longer give everything to their sons. Some still leave houses to their sons, but they sell other properties and divide the money equally among their daughters. That alone is already a significant step forward.
As education and awareness grow, even the older generation is changing. That means today’s younger parents should strive to be even more fair to their children.
*The opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.
