One of the tasks that you will have to complete when writing your spiritual ethical will, if you have minor children, is to select a guardian for them. Guardian selection is something that you don’t want to do willie nillie. To pick the best guardian for your children you need to follow these steps.
First you will want to create a list of characteristics that you want the guardian to have. For example, you may want then to be a certain age, be related to the children, have the money to care for them, etc.
The second step is to create a list of people who have the characteristics that you are looking for. If your kids are old enough, ask them to help you with this list.
The third step is to rank your guardians based on the most suitable to the least suitable. To help you in this process you may need to create a pros and cons list for each possible guardian.
Once you have selected your top guardian candidates you will want to meet with your first choice for guardian and ask them if they would like to be your children’s guardian. This needs to be done face to face in a relaxed atmosphere. Consider going to lunch or out for coffee. Let them know what the guardianship would entail, if you have money set aside, what you would expect from them, etc. If they say no, respect their decision and don’t press the issue. Also allow them plenty of time to make up their minds. Some people will provide you with an immediate answers, while others will need to think about the offer a few days before making up their minds.
If the answer is no, move on to the next choice. If the answer is yes then add their name to the section of your spiritual ethical will that relates to the guardianship of your minor children in the event that both parents die.
Spiritual ethical wills are a great alternative to the traditional last will and testament. When writing your spiritual ethical will keep in mind that changes will most likely need to be made every 5 years. For more help writing your ethical will return every Monday and Friday to this blog.