Comments on: Protecting Your Kids http://gailvazoxlade.com/blog/archives/74 Wed, 23 May 2012 10:19:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: tracy jenneson http://gailvazoxlade.com/blog/archives/74/comment-page-1#comment-436 tracy jenneson Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:17:15 +0000 http://gailvazoxlade.com/blog/archives/81#comment-436 We struggled through the guardian issue too, and really found no perfect solution. There are so many variables! The faith, financial ability, emotional availability, fundimental morals and of course age that all are factored into it. In the end we had to ask my sister if she would take our 2 sons if anything terrible happened... it was a compromise since she doen't get along with some of the rest of the family, but she is young enough to be there for them, she also has 2 kids that are very close to mine, my boys love her and they would be in a stable home. It's all I could hope for... Od course, my boys would be raised differently and their hobbies and lives would change drastically-- a terrible, terrible thought! (I eat right, drive carefully and try to make precautions as I can to increase the chances that I will be here to raise them!) You are right though Gail, having that stuff all sorted out legally in writing, though unpleasant at the time, reduces the background stress so you can get on with LIVING! We struggled through the guardian issue too, and really found no perfect solution. There are so many variables! The faith, financial ability, emotional availability, fundimental morals and of course age that all are factored into it. In the end we had to ask my sister if she would take our 2 sons if anything terrible happened… it was a compromise since she doen’t get along with some of the rest of the family, but she is young enough to be there for them, she also has 2 kids that are very close to mine, my boys love her and they would be in a stable home. It’s all I could hope for… Od course, my boys would be raised differently and their hobbies and lives would change drastically– a terrible, terrible thought!
(I eat right, drive carefully and try to make precautions as I can to increase the chances that I will be here to raise them!)
You are right though Gail, having that stuff all sorted out legally in writing, though unpleasant at the time, reduces the background stress so you can get on with LIVING!

]]> By: kristin http://gailvazoxlade.com/blog/archives/74/comment-page-1#comment-435 kristin Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:40:14 +0000 http://gailvazoxlade.com/blog/archives/81#comment-435 not claiming right or wrong, we choose a bit of a different path. we named my parents to get immediate custody but the plan is not for them to raise them. we had discussed the possibility of guardianship with 2 couples (family) that are close and ultimately decided on one. so what would happen would be that the day of, they would go to my parents, whom are currently young, healthy and closest to my child. they would then appoint (with permission of course) their permanent legal guardians (already discussed with everyone involved). our concern was that lives change, people change, couples changes, daily. but my parents don't. also, we thought that not matter what, they would have our childs best interests at heart (not that others wouldn't, but if you've got other kids to think of, cash flow issues, work issues, what not, it could affect things). this way, if something happens with our desired guardians that would make them less desirable before we could alter the will, we know they are in the best of hands. a little more complex, but the only way we could feel good about covering every possible circumstance. not claiming right or wrong, we choose a bit of a different path. we named my parents to get immediate custody but the plan is not for them to raise them. we had discussed the possibility of guardianship with 2 couples (family) that are close and ultimately decided on one. so what would happen would be that the day of, they would go to my parents, whom are currently young, healthy and closest to my child. they would then appoint (with permission of course) their permanent legal guardians (already discussed with everyone involved).
our concern was that lives change, people change, couples changes, daily. but my parents don’t. also, we thought that not matter what, they would have our childs best interests at heart (not that others wouldn’t, but if you’ve got other kids to think of, cash flow issues, work issues, what not, it could affect things). this way, if something happens with our desired guardians that would make them less desirable before we could alter the will, we know they are in the best of hands.
a little more complex, but the only way we could feel good about covering every possible circumstance.

]]> By: Jessica http://gailvazoxlade.com/blog/archives/74/comment-page-1#comment-434 Jessica Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:51:07 +0000 http://gailvazoxlade.com/blog/archives/81#comment-434 I was just talking about this very issue with a co-worker the other day. He has two children, 5 and 1, and doesn't have a will or legal guardianship in place. I'll be forwarding him this article! I do want to just point out that the term "god parents" has no legal standing. This is a religious/spiritual designation. If someone has chosen god parents thinking they will be the children's guardians, they must still make it legal by way of a will or some other legal agreement. But by asking someone to be god parents, doesn't make them guardians in the eyes of the law. I was just talking about this very issue with a co-worker the other day. He has two children, 5 and 1, and doesn’t have a will or legal guardianship in place. I’ll be forwarding him this article!

I do want to just point out that the term “god parents” has no legal standing. This is a religious/spiritual designation. If someone has chosen god parents thinking they will be the children’s guardians, they must still make it legal by way of a will or some other legal agreement. But by asking someone to be god parents, doesn’t make them guardians in the eyes of the law.

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