Appointing someone as guardian of your child(ren) can be the most important decision you ever make. While everyone’s familial circumstances are unique, the bottom line is that every parent wants the best person possible to step into their roles once they can no longer be there for their children.
Since this is one time where it is paramount to get it right, the following guidelines could prove to be quite useful when choosing your children’s guardian(s).
Appoint someone who is physically up to the task
You might believe that your own mother and father are the finest parents who ever raised a child. Thus, it’s only natural to consider them first for the job of rearing your own children. However, depending upon many factors, the grandparents could actually not be the best choice. Consider the following:
- Your parents’ ages and infirmities – A set of healthy grandparents in their 40s or 50s may be up to the task, but if your parents are frail or had you when they were older, the strain of rearing your children could prove too daunting.
- Their financial circumstances – If your parents are barely getting by as it is, it may be impossible for them to financially take on rearing your children. These circumstances can be alleviated by your funding trusts or purchasing life insurance policies to cover your kids’ expenses and post-secondary education. But even then, the guardians could still pass a scarcity mentality along to the kids that you wish to avoid.
- Where are they in their careers? Younger grandparents may still be building their retirement nests and have no intention of leaving the workforce any time soon. After a long day at work, would they still have the energy and enthusiasm to shuttle schoolchildren to all their extracurriculars, handle the slumber-party stage and stay up until curfew to ensure your teens return home on time?
These are not the only concerns but they certainly make a good starting point when it’s time to determine who will be responsible for guiding your children into adulthood.