Life insurance.

Not exactly a topic at the top of the list when you’re growing your family and more often than not a topic that we tend to avoid, forget about or fail to see the importance of.

That changed pretty quickly for me though.

I remember driving Ted home from the hospital when he was just hours old. His tiny delicate frame encapsulated by the car seat we’d spent hours upon hours researching to make sure we had the best protection for him.

I pulled out of the car park after double and triple checking his straps were on correctly and then continued on the 5-minute drive back home.

It took us 20 minutes.

Not because of traffic, but because I was so aware that I had this precious cargo sitting in the back that the speed-o-meter never went above 18mph. I crawled up to green lights, just in case they changed to amber and I made sure that at every junction I stopped and looked in every direction 3 times over.

No one can really understand, until it happens to you, that in a matter of literally minutes, your whole life’s priorities shift. I know of course, you prepare for 9 months, but it never actually sinks home until you see that bundle of joy in your arms that your baby is now 100% dependant on you as its parents.

WHAAACK!

(That’s the sound of the freight train hitting you!)

SMAAACK!

(That’s the sound of you falling over in an overwhelmed and shocked state!)

I joke, but it’s true. The moment your baby is born, you are now responsible for that little one’s life. The trouble is, and this was a genuine thought for me just a few days after Ted was born, we spend so much time making the house baby safe, driving more carefully, double checking straps and making sure the world they live in is hygienic…

But we never think (or rarely) think about the one thing that protects our baby more than any car seat can. More than any stair gate could. More than any amount of sterilising could.

Us.

Mum & dad.

It’s us who protect our children from the dangers and turmoil that life throws at us.

Now, I know it’s not very nice to think about, but just spend a moment thinking what would happen to your children should the worst happen.

How would your children be protected?

There are 2 answers:

1. The support network of friends and family around you.

   Do you have a plan in place? Who would take care of the children? Have you got people close by or do they live miles away? I don’t think I’m being over dramatic by saying this, but have a plan for that kind of eventuality. We developed a safety plan & escape route in our house in case of a fire. That too is quite unlikely, but if we did have a house fire, we’d all know what to do.

2. Life Insurance

   We all have to pay to put a roof over our children’s heads & food on the table. But what would happen if that household income was taken away? How would you cope? Personally speaking, I’m that guy with the mindset of, ‘it’ll never happen to me, why bother?’ Which is great, and means I can go through life without really worrying very much, but it’s just not sensible.

   My children rely on me.

The challenge that I’ve faced myself, is exactly this. I can spend so much time trying to protect my family from things, but in all of that, I forget about me. I need to protect my children by having a plan for if something were to happen to me.

For me, this has spurred me on to get life insurance in place. I want to have the peace of mind (because I am now realising that I need to get myself ship shape…) that if I wasn’t here, my children would be ok. That they’d still be able to have the life I want for them; food on their plates, roofs over their heads, clothes on their back.

Have you got life insurance sorted yet? Dad’s can compare life insurance quotes for free at FCA registered broker; Reassured.

*This is sponsored post but as always, all opinions and thoughts are authentic.