Tips for Choosing a Guardian for my Young Children

Planning what should happen to your children in case of your untimely death is a grim topic of discussion. Although many people may wish to avoid broaching this subject matter entirely, it is important to ensure that the proper measures are put in place should such a situation arise. Choosing a guardian for young children can be stressful. However, remembering a few simple tips may assist in making this process slightly less overwhelming.

Choose Someone With the Proper Resources and Ability

When choosing a guardian, it may be beneficial to select someone that can adequately provide for your children. Whether this is financially, physically or emotionally, it is important to make sure that your children will be well taken care of. Naming a guardian that cannot afford to support your children or is limited in their mobility due to old age or disability may not be the ideal decision, as an estate planning lawyer such as one from Kaplan Law Practice, LLC can explain. You may want to make sure that any potential guardian can provide your children with a similar lifestyle to that of your own and is willing to take on the responsibility of their care. Choosing someone unable to care for your children may create undue stress, heighten anxiety and increase difficulty in adjustments for all parties.

Consider Your Children’s Preferences

Identifying who your children are most comfortable with may play an integral role in your decision process. Ideally, a child’s transition between caregivers should be as seamless as possible. Children may find it comforting to be around individuals that they already know and may have a previously established relationship with. Some examples of this may include:

• Family members
• Close friends
• Respected colleagues
• Trusted neighbors

Have Alternatives Selected

The future is often unpredictable. You may select who you would like to serve as your children’s guardian only for an event to occur in which they are no longer able to perform such duties. Preselecting alternative options may be an ideal way to prepare for such circumstances. Given that you previously put a substantial amount of thought and time into selecting the perfect guardian for your children, you may want to ensure that the same is given to those that may be next in line. Creating a list of other acceptable guardians can help prevent you from having to make any hasty decisions down the road.

Choosing who you would like to serve as your children’s guardian is an important decision. Contact an estate planning lawyer to further discuss your options and see what might be right for you.