I thought it was possible for a families to carry their own sort of karma. Something that may have been passed down from generation to generation. But, then, I wondered if this was a sort of family conditioning playing out.
But, now, I'm seeing a child facing the same life situations (so close that it is remarkable) and faced with making decisions on the same things of a parent (and the absent parent's family) that he has never met.
Could this be a type of familial karma? Does anyone have experience with this?
I really don't know what to think of this phenomenon, but I do know what you're talking about. My sister would call it a family curse. *nods*
Well, I can relate to what your sister says. It does sometimes seem a lot like that.
I don't know Josi. You can find Family "Signatures" in Charts though, can't you?!
I can totally see Family conditioning playing out from generation to generation. Sometimes, it's quite remarkable. Patterns, there are!
In the type of situation you are describing, it's kind of "proofless", but there 
It has to mean something- too many coincidences! It's perhaps a lack in us, as humans, that we just can't see it (make a clear link).
Hope someone else has a clue...
astrology, conditioning or karma the solution is the same..break the destructive behavior pattern. right? It's just weird to see it play out with a parent/child who don't know eachother. So, it is likely not a learned behavior. Makes ya wonder...Is this a collective lesson boiled down to a family level?
I think it may be possible
I agree. There is a terrific book by Erin Sullivan 'The Astrology of Family Dynamics' where she goes into this notion in detail with case histories etc. Family line karma, or whatever you want to call it, according to her is all held in the water houses 4th, 8th, and 12th. Anyone with an emphasis on these in their chart tends to play out these dynamics, known or unbeknownst to themselves. It's fascinating - big book and I read it all in one sitting over a day. I couldn't put it down (says she with the 12th and 4th emphasis:))
There's also a great article by Liz Greene on astro.com 'The Oracle and the Family Curse' where she uses the Kennedys as an example.