Which box would you check?

Sally J

If paperwork asked you to select one box to identify your beneficiary, which one would you select out of these choices:

Child

Adopted Child

Here is a mother's answer who adopted from China.  I can relate to her answer and I'm not sure I could choose one, let alone want to choose one.  Both are true.

https://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/child-or-adopted-child-please-check-one/

 (On a side note this type of question is very insulting IMO.  I wish there would be a choice to select none of the above, or decline to answer just like on the race questions.)

Dr.Loretta

I would be calling whoever made up the form and giving them a piece of my mind.

When we filled out paperwork for our will, the questionnaire asked if we wanted any adopted children to be treated the same as biological children when it came to dividing the estate. I was insulted.

jacksjerseygirl

DELETE

ETA: I thought your question was related to whether you would select a biological child vs an adopted child as your primary beneficiary. I understand now that you are asking about (after reading the article) the designation of the child as being either 'child - implication of biology' or 'adopted'.

I would select child. Legally that is what they are after finalization. If the designations stated biological child vs. adopted child then I would select adopted child as selecting biological child would be a lie. But selecting 'child' is not a lie.

pinkwedding05

hmmm.  i see why it could be necessary for medical purposes depending on the form.  we are often asked for a medical history of annie, but it is unavailable to us.  i havent been faced with a form like that and i'm not sure what box i would check.  i'm so proud of her and how she came to us that i honestly love telling about her.  will she be proud someday?  i hope so.  i'm hoping to create an environment where her history is celebrated, but not an everyday conversation. 

would you feel better if it was worded as "biological child" and "adopted child"?   

dr. l - i would be hugely insulted and furious!

GLynn2009

I have two children I gave birth to and I will have one that we are in the process of adopting. So I will have three children. To be benificiary I would answer child that is all they need to know.

So which would you check for a step-child if you wanted them to be benificiary? My DH will only have one child but two step-children that he has raised.

pinkwedding05

Woops, I skimmed the link and didn't realize it was about the beneficiary.  I can't imagine why they would need to know that and so I would probably mark "child". 

We have a life insurance policy for Annie and so it was necessary for them to know that she isn't bio.  I think that's where I was coming from...then again I've been up since 4:45 so I don't really know where I'm coming from or where I'm going.