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Who Will Love the Children?
Why It's Important to Name a Guardian for Your Kids By Lisamarie Sanders
This may be one of the most complex factors in making your decision. Numerous questions arise: Does this person have experience with kids? If not, are they prepared to tackle this responsibility? If they have children, are their children close in age to yours? Will this foster friendship or competition? What is their relationship with their own kids? Do their children like yours? Can they handle additional children especially those needing extra care? Is the house big enough to accommodate your children?
Location
America's transient society leaves many families scattered about the country. If you and your spouse were to suddenly die tonight, who would take your kids tomorrow? Naming a guardian who lives out of town may cause additional stress to your surviving children. Shelley Divnich Haggert of Ontario, Canada, wants things to remain as normal as possible for her children in the event that she and her husband die. "Losing parents would be hard enough," she says. "Having to move away to live with relatives far from what was familiar would be too much for them."
Financial Stability
Most parents do not have the financial means to completely take care of their children until they reach adulthood. Therefore, it is important to consider the financial stability of the person you choose as guardian. If a family you are considering can barely make ends meet as it is, think twice before adding another mouth to feed. Willingness
Possibly the most important factor in deciding on a guardian is not in your control. Your sister may be perfect for the position a married woman in love with her husband, with no children of her own but she may not want kids. Your parents may wish to spend their twilight years traveling the countryside instead of raising another family. Being a guardian is not an honor; it is a huge commitment one that not everyone would be willing or able to accept. Talk It Over
When you are reviewing your potential candidates, you may be unsure of where a person stands on a particular issue. Dr. Shubin advises, "When in doubt, ask." A casua conversation can let you know your brother-in-law's stance on education. A hypothetical situation could act as a moral barometer for your friend's spouse. Or you can take a more direct route and explain that you are considering them as a guardian and would like to know how they feel about a particular subject.