My sister and I provide for parents despite inheritance going to eldest sibling

My parents were never particularly well-off, so my sister and I did not receive much growing up. After a lifetime of saving, they only managed to acquire a few plots of farmland and the house they currently live in. Since my older brother lives with them, it was always understood that their properties would eventually be his. My sister and I have no issue with that.

However, not receiving an inheritance did not mean we would shirk our responsibilities or neglect our aging parents. My younger sister and I regularly send money home each month to cover their expenses while I also help out with tasks like home renovations and holiday preparations.

Though my brother and his wife live with our parents, their financial situation is unstable, so they only partially cover food costs and provide limited care when our parents fall ill. As a result, my sister and I shoulder most of their expenses. Since my sister is still single, she has more disposable income. As for me, I have a loving and understanding husband who generously supports my decision to send money home.

My husband's family is wealthier than mine. They live in the city and own multiple rental properties. My husband and I are solely responsible for caring for his mother, while his siblings only call or visit briefly. Still, we never complained or resented them.

When my father-in-law passed away without leaving a will, my mother-in-law initially planned to divide the inheritance only among her sons. But my husband firmly insisted on fairness, arguing that all her children, including her adopted daughter, deserved an equal share.

"Anyone who calls you 'Mother' is your child, and there should be no distinction," he said at the time.

Fortunately, my husband's brothers are also reasonable people, so they agreed with him. In the end, my mother-in-law agreed to divide her assets equally.

To me, having living parents to love and care for is already a blessing. Even if our parents are sometimes unfair, we should still fulfill our filial duty. In doing so, we also set an example for our own children, who will likely treat us the way we treat our parents now.

*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.