I realize that the last Parents R Us blog was a bit sober, and today I'm planning to keep the tone a bit sober. I want to talk to you about a topic that has been heavy on my mind in the past few days. While you may find it a bit difficult to think about, it is something that every parent must think carefully about - preparing for the future.

Unfortunately, no one is guaranteed to be here tomorrow. It's a fact of life. Just because we are parents doesn't mean that we are immune to this. You may not always be around to take care of your children, and this is a fact that you must prepare for to ensure their needs are taken care of, even if something happens to you. Here is a look at some of the important steps to preparing for the future.

Talk to Your Spouse
It's not the most fun thing to talk about, but you need to sit down with your spouse and seriously talk about what will happen if something happens to one or both of you. You need to make sure that you are both on the same page. Find out your thoughts and try to come up with good decisions that will best take care of your children in the future.

Advance Directives and Power of Attorney
One thing that you may want to do is set up advance directives and medical power of attorney. If you both have end of life wishes, make sure you have an advance directive in place, also known as a living will. Medical power of attorney can be important. While usually spouses are automatically given this right, if something happens to both of you at the same time, it's a good idea to be prepared with someone you can trust to make these decisions. Don't just think about it. Get it in writing and ensure it's legal.

Child Custody
What will happen to your kids if something happens to you? If one of you has children from another relationship and you are living in a blended family, this is a decision that must be carefully made. If the children are yours, are you comfortable with them going back to your ex husband or wife? Maybe you want your current spouse to be the one to take care of your children if something happens to you. If so, make sure that everything is legally in place to ensure this happens, especially if you have an ex spouse that happens to abusive or dangerous. Consider child custody plans if something were to happen to both of you. If you are both gone, make sure you designate who will get your children so YOU are the one that makes that decision - not the state.

Write a Will
Writing a will can be important, especially if you have things you want to leave to your children. Many young couples don't have a will in place, which can lead to problems if something happens to them. You want to ensure that you say what happens to your money and other assets if something were to happen to you.

Get a Life Insurance Policy
While money can often be tight for parents raising a family, a life insurance policy is a need, not a want. What will happen to your family if you are suddenly taken from them? Will they be able to get by? You want to have the peace of mind knowing that they will be taken care of. A good life insurance policy can give you this peace of mind, and they don't have to be that expensive. This is especially important for those that are homeowners with large mortgages.

Thinking about these things is sobering; however, it is something that responsible parents must do. If you have not made these decisions, take some time to do so. You want to be there for your kids forever, but this is not always the case. Prepare for the future and remember - you are doing this for your kids!