SAVING AND PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

As we learned Bible principles for practical living, God taught me and my husband Claro to set aside a substantial amount for our daughter with Down syndrome. Claro always make it a point to save for Clarissa's future. Saving for the special needs child’s future should be the concern of every parent. Who would want to burden their siblings or their relatives, should their special child outlive them? My husband has already assigned both Clarissa’s brothers, Carlo and Paulo, as the legal guardians and administrators of Clarissa’s savings while I have trained and prepared our sons to take care her.  The preparation include writing journals and keeping our daughter's medical records, doctors telephone numbers and clinic hours in case of future medical problems.  Though this may sound morbid, I have also prepared a Last Will & Testament to make sure that my daughter will be well taken care of.  

I believe it is also a wise principle to get a medical insurance card and life insurance for our special needs children. Some companies provide this specialized insurance. My brother Randell, a financial analyst and an advocate of life and finance, advised us to get a life insurance and endowment plan with Clarissa as the sole beneficiary.

The fear of not having enough money to raise a special needs child can be crippling. When I ask my son Carlo when he intends to marry, he always tells me, “Not until I’m 30 years old. I’m not financially ready yet.” I honestly think that nobody ever feels “ready” to get married, just as we are also never “ready” to take care of a special child. God purposely allows us to feel inadequate to be married, or to parent a special needs child, so we will learn to depend on Him for provisions.

I trust that the Lord will not put us in a situation that we cannot handle, with His help. Jesus said,

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

Matthew 6:25–27 

To learn more about planning for the future of your child with special needs, attend the seminar "ANG PERA NA HINDI BITIN," on February 18, 2012 at CCF Overflow Room, 4th Floor St. Francis Square, Mandaluyong City, from 8am to 12:30pm.  Register now!  It's FREE!  Simply text you name to 09178966258 or 09053784217.