My son just received a TON of money

[MissMillie]

We found out last month that his father (who abandoned him when he was two) had a life insurance policy and that my son was going to get a cut. The mail just delivered a checkbook from which my son can write checks from an account that holds this money.

It feels so funny. I'm so happy that Tim is going to have a few things a little easier by being able to put away some money for his graduate school (he has a scholarship for undergrad) or to buy a house.... At the same time, this brings back memories of the man that walked away. No amount of money could ever make up for his dad walking away, but at the same time, if this was the kind of man he was, it was probably just as well that he wasn't around to influence Tim that way.

It's just funny... weird... ya know? I made some choices early in my adulthood that pretty much guaranteed that I would have to work like a dog for every little break I got. Tim's going to have life a little better than that, and all because his sick (alcoholic) father died. That stuff is a strange this to have to reconcile.

[Midlodemocrat]

1. Just caution him to be judicious about spending it.

He won't be happy if he pisses it away on junk and then decides years later that it would have come in pretty handy.

[Haole Girl]

4. That is very good advice

I couldn't have said it better!

[MissMillie]

5. I had only one demand of him

to seek the advice of a financial planner. We have one in the family, so we know of someone we can trust.

He's 18, so he really can do whatever he chooses w/ this money, but I think he realizes that, if he makes wise choices about this money, his life will be that much easier in the long run.

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. While you may never completely reconcile it, it may bring you

some much needed closure. :hug:

[meegbear]

3. If your son needs some practice writing checks ...

he can write some to me and I'll ... ummmm ... verify them.

[jobycom]

6. You'll never get your mind around it

Too many loops in that one. You've been there for Tim his whole life, his father did only one thing right for him. You've given your son a much better future than his father did, but feel good that his father gave him something. Beyond that, you'll never work it out.

[xmas74]

7. If my daughter's father ever dies we'll have to go through

the same thing. He walked away while I was pregnant and has refused to have any contact w/ her-unless it's a decision that will spoil any plans I make. (He has visitation rights that he refuses to use but can also deny us a move out of state w/ those same rights. He's done it twice now. I've been to court over it and he always plays the "I now want to be involved w/ her and be in her life" card so the judge denies my move.)

Just a hug to let you know that you're not alone.:hug:

[Joe Fields]

8. Life is really, really wierd!