Many parents worry about their children. They may worry that their children will not make smart life decisions, could get into dangerous situations, or will become ill. One father of three children with disabilities has many worries about his children’s futures. The man adopted three disadvantaged children with his wife, who died two years ago. The children are now 18, 14 and 11 years old.
The 18-year-old son is severely autistic and cannot care for himself. The 14 year-old has Type 1 diabetes, and the 11-year-old was born with a genetic brain disorder. The father is proud of how he has raised his children and that they were not institutionalized, which likely would have happened if he and his wife had not adopted them.
Since his wife’s death however, he has faced many financial challenges. With three children who require full-time care, he has not been able to work. He hires a sitter sometimes, but fears he will no longer be able to afford this help soon. His mother does live with the family, but without any income besides his Social Security benefits and his children’s disability benefits, getting by is difficult.
One of this father’s primary concerns is what would happen to his children if he could not care for them any longer. In his situation, since his children may not be able to care for themselves, arranging a guardianship may be very beneficial.
If this father created a legal arrangement clarifying where his children would go and whose care they would be placed under if he could not care for them, he might feel slightly less stressed by his situation. When children or adults are unable to make decisions for themselves, arranging a legal guardian is important to ensure someone with the person’s best interests in mind is ready to speak up for the person should their representation become necessary.
Source: Patch, “‘I don’t want to lose my kids,’ widowed dad says,” Natalie Davis, Sept. 30, 2012
To learn more about creating a guardianship for a parent or child or planning for a disability, please visit our website.
