Anonymous wrote:Only you know what would work best for your family. If aunts, uncles, and grandparents are not appropriate for whatever reason, of course you're going to want to choose someone who already knows them well and would be able to provide a loving home and a secure lifestyle.
Many people don't have family who are still alive to take their kids. Additionally, many people are waiting til 30s or early 40s to have kids, so their parents are less physically and emotionally able to take care of their kids. Aunts and uncles usually either already have their own children (sometimes more children than they should have), or they don't want kids. Frequently a caregiver who knows the kids better than extended relatives would be a better choice for the children; whether family would fight for the kids is another issue altogether.