Declining to be the guardian of a friend or relative’s child can be an awkward, and potentially relationship altering, conversation. In situations where your gut reaction is to decline the offer, try telling a white lie to help lessen the blow—explain you are already named as guardian for another child. If a white lie won’t work, try explaining the practical and logistical reasons why you becoming a guardian is not the best choice—emphasize the small size of your home, the large cost associated with child rearing, and your already busy schedule. For potential guardians who have children of their own, a simple statement explaining that your hands are full with the children you already have can be enough to persuade a parent to look elsewhere for a guardian.
See Jacoba Urist, No Thanks, I Don’t Want to Be Your Kid’s Guardian, USA Today, Mar. 13, 2012.
