Hi Everyone! We are so excited that we were asked to write for OC Mom. You can read my article below:
Being a mom of two-year old twins, I spend a large portion of my days protecting them from what seems like the world; the staircase, the coffee table, and sometimes even each other! I make sure that no matter where we go that we always have band-aids, water, snacks, extra diapers, and whatever else they may possibly need. As any mom would, I found myself wondering who would do all of these things if my husband and I weren’t around? How could I spend my days protecting them from the little things, yet not have planned for a major emergency? This is why I turned my focus to planning for children in case of emergencies.
If my husband and I went on a date, left a babysitter at home with the twins, got into an accident, and never made it home what would our babysitter do? Ideally, they would call a family member, but my husband and I don’t have any family in California, and even if we did, assuming the sitter had their contact information, the police would eventually be called to figure out where we went. Once the police arrived to find our sitter with our minor children at home, they wouldn’t go searching around our home for our wills that document who we have chosen as guardians for our children. Instead, they would call child protective services, which would come to our home, take our children from our babysitter’s care, and place them into temporary homes. Since my children are twins, they would most likely be separated into different homes, until the authorities could figure out what has happened to us, and who would be responsible for our children. As a mom, there is nothing scarier then the thought of my kids being placed in a home with people I have never met, or know anything about, how that would make them feel, and how scared they would be. So many parents walk around protecting their kids from the ills of the world without thinking of this very scenario. Now that you are armed with this information, I strongly encourage you to plan for these emergency situations now.
At ADS, we will help you make the right decisions and build you a comprehensive plan to protect your children in the event of an emergency. We will help you choose at least three temporary guardians that all live close by, in case your long term guardians are living else where, like mine are, are away on vacation, or simply can’t be reached when needed. Once your plan is in place, you will know with absolute certainty that your kids never have to go through this terrible experience, like so many have. We will provide you with instructions for your caregivers and temporary guardians so everyone is equipped with what they would need, and understand what you want from them and for your children. In addition, we will give you an ID card to put in your wallet, as well as the wallet of any of your children’s regular caregivers, so that any emergency personnel will know that you have minor children at home, direct them to call your temporary guardians, and give the information necessary to access your guardianship documents. There is no more concern that the authorities won’t be able to find your documents when you need those documents to speak for you in your absence.
We are also equipped to do a video legacy where you can leave priceless information for your loved ones. This is so that your loved ones cannot only read what you intended, but also hear it directly from you. In your video legacy, you can explain why you did what you did in your estate planning documents, as well as leave sentimental messages for your family that preserve your memory. It’s also a great tool for leaving family history for your future generations. You can share personal stories and traits about yourself and family members who have passed before you so your family spirit can live on. It’s a truly incredible way to say all the things you didn’t have time to say in the present.
As a mom, I can appreciate how busy your day-to-day life can be. I also recognize that our children are helpless and rely on us for protection whether we are with them or not. There is no better time than right now to take the appropriate steps to make sure your children are protected in case of an emergency.
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