Halloween Decisions

I love Halloween. I love an excuse to wear a costume. And I looove original, homemade costumes. I would also love to force my kids to wear a themed costume of my choosing. Unfortunately, they are at the age (3 and 8) that they have their own opinion. I can try to convince them how great my idea is, but ultimately, it is their choice. They have the right to make their own decision, even if I do not like it. But I know that if they ever made a dangerous decision, I have the right to step in and take over.

We run into families facing a similar dilemma. They may feel their parent is making poor choice. However, if that parent has the capacity, then they have the right to make their own decisions. There may come a time, however, when capacity diminishes and it is time to take over some things. The issue is a child or even a spouse does not have that “right.” There needs to be really strong Healthcare Powers of Attorney and Financial Powers of Attorney in place. If those documents are not in place, welcome to guardianship and conservatorship court.

I’ll give an update on how the costumes turn out, and if I can persuade my daughter to be something other than the ridiculous unoriginal light-up store-bought unicorn she wants to be.