Father’s Day was on Sunday, did we get presents? Breakfast? A nice card?

Cynics amongst us will dismiss days like this as an excuse for retailers to improve their profits. I like to embrace the family aspect, the opportunity to spend time with loved ones and for the kids to pump up my tyres with stories of how much they appreciate me – who doesn’t love a bit of flattery! My 19 year old cleared his busy social calendar and spent the entire weekend with me, which was pretty special now that my kids are older and busy with their own lives.

It seems a little bit cruel to bring the mood down on joyous occasions, but these moments invite reflection and we need to think about all aspects of family life. I love Father’s Day because it is all about me, but Mother’s Day is a bit hollow for me because my own Mother died when I was a teenager. Her biggest concern towards the end was whether she had done enough to make sure I would be alright. I think about this a lot in relation to my own children – how will they cope if I am not there to guide them and provide for them? What can I do to soften the blow?

There is no way to compensate for serious illness, injury or loss of a loved one. All we can do is to put things in place to lessen the stress and impact on others around us. Insurance is a topic no-one likes to discuss, but we all need to look at our circumstances and make sure we are doing the best we can for our families. Understand what is at stake, how you are protected and is it sufficient?

Finally, if you are in a position to do so, I urge you to consider donating to worthy causes for those less fortunate than yourself. Think about those who have lost a family member to disease, or whose financial circumstances prevent them celebrating special days. Any way we can share some goodwill, we should take the opportunity to do so.

If you would like to discuss protecting your family in greater detail, contact me at alan@cnsfinancial.com.au or on (07) 3188 0234.

I hope your Father’s Day was as good as mine!