I’ve seen this image (from Four Sea Stars) a fair bit on Facebook recently, it is a common concern for parents of kids with special needs.
We are blessed, my girls will very likely be able to look after themselves when we (husband and I) are gone. But it is a hard thought to face, what if we pass away now while they are young, before we’ve had a chance to teach them all the things they need to know.
We work everyday at home to teach our kids to be independent, resilient and make ourselves redundant. But there is still so much to do and I need to make sure for my own peace of mind that things are in place should the worst happen.
Lets be clear, I’m a mum, I’m not a lawyer, financial adviser or anything like that, just a mum, trying to do the very best by her kids.
Some of the things we have put in place are:
- Savings accounts for both girls, I put away $10 a fortnight, it isn’t much but it is slowly adding up.
- Husband and I have both written our wills and made legal provisions for who gets custody of our girls should something happen.
- We also let friends and family know who we would like to have custody of the girls.
Be aware that not all Legal Will Kits are created equal and if your situation is complex or confusing you are best to see a lawyer.
As your children head towards adulthood you may need to start considering the following:
- Advanced health directives
- Enduring Power of Attorney – financial, medical and guardianship.
Have you thought about what the future may hold? What other things should parents consider?
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We need to formalize our wills too. It’s not nice to think about but very necessary – thanks for the reminder.
Thanks Kirsty, good luck formalising your wills.
I’ve been avoiding this “dreadful” yet very important matter for some time now. It makes me teary-eyed so often I just stop. I’m impressed that you got yours sorted out. Thanks for the helpful links. It’s just the push I need to at least start thinking about my options.
It is a challenging topic to think about, I really struggled with who would get custody of the girls because no-one (in my opinion) is ever going to be fill their parents shoes. But then I expect all parents feel that way.
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