We're going on vacation. The wills are in the cabinet.

"When I was growing up, every time my parents left to go on a vacation without the kids, they would post their itinerary on the fridge, remind us to behave for whichever relative was in charge that week, and then, almost as an afterthought, say, "The wills are in the cabinet." Whether they were flying to Greece for three weeks or driving to New Hampshire for a long weekend, the simple yet jarring reminder was always the same. The wills are in the cabinet."

"Talking about death and estate planning can feel uncomfortable, especially in American culture, where we tend to avoid the topic. For my parents, though, death wasn't a taboo topic; it was simply part of the logistics of life. Until we were in our twenties, they would also often add, "Aunt Debbie is in charge if anything happens." They weren't morbid about it; they were practical."

"They weren't morbid about it; they were practical. They still are. As we got older, they started talking more openly about what was in their wills. When I found out I was pregnant, one of the first things I did, along with daydreaming about names and browsing nursery furniture, was create a will. I update it periodically, for instance, when I bought a house, and when we got a dog."

Parents normalized estate planning by posting itineraries, reminding children who would be in charge, and regularly saying, "The wills are in the cabinet." Their practical approach removed morbidity and treated death as logistical planning rather than taboo. Children initially reacted with eye rolls but retained awareness of where documents were kept and who would take guardianship, often naming a designated relative. As adults, family members observed more open conversations about will contents. One family member created a will upon becoming pregnant and updates it periodically after life events like buying a house or getting a pet, viewing updates as routine, not pessimistic.

Read at Business Insider