DON’T PUT OFF “THE TALK”
“The TALK” we really don’t want to talk
A crisis can occur at anytime for anybody. Thinking and taking the time to talk out your plans and make decisions is vital for your children’s well-being and peace of mind. They often second guess their decisions at a time of crisis and wish they had more direction from you. If you have”The Talk” and offer your children specific directions about your wishes and discuss these plans, backed up with legal documents, then your children will thank you and respect you for easing their load at a time of crisis.
So for starters, make sure you have made out a will, even if you are in great health and expect to stay that way for a long time. If you already have one, take time periodically to review it and update it if necessary.
Secondly,the next best thing you can do to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings as you grow older is to sit down with your children and have “The Talk” about things that are not easy to talk about.
To prepare for “The Talk” think through the following questions and and make the most appropriate decisions for you.
- What should your children do if you and your spouse become seriously incapacitated and can no longer manage in your home?
- What measures should your children request from medical professionals if you become incapacitated and your physician does not think you will recover?
- Who should make important decisions for you if you are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and experience confusion and memory loss?
- What specific requests do you have for your funeral or other last wishes?
No one wants to think about these things, but at some point we all have to make decisions; if we don’t, someone else will do it for us. Often those choices are not what you would have wanted. Please don’t wait another day to have “The Talk” with your children. Do it now while you can. If your children come to you and try to have “The Talk”, receive them warmly and ease their fears about asking these kind of questions.
Have “The Talk” now.