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My in-laws. We will reevaluate periodically, but they are the best choice for now.

My dad. our original first choice was DH's brother and SIL but after seeing them as parents we felt like out parenting styles differ too much. Thankfully we hadn't officially asked them. We did ask my dad but we still need to make it official and do a will.

We have close friends that we've been meaning to ask. My parents have said they'd want him, but I think they're too old to raise such little kids. They do great with limited amounts of time, but I'd like DS to grow up with a young family. Between us we have 3 siblings, and they're all out for various reasons. My brother doesn't want kids, DH's sister has trouble taking care of herself and we hate her FI (but they do have a kid), and DH's brother works crazy long hours.

If BIL changed his lifestyle and maybe found a partner we liked I'd re-think having him be the guardian.

My parents

My BIL and SIL with my parents as seconds.

As of right now my cousin. We get hers as well. She and her husband are not ideal choices (they have two kids now, one with quite a few special needs, and they live very far from family), but they're literally the only people in our lives whosd values line up with ours enough for us to even consider it. But we're talking about another baby, and if that happens I don't know if she and her husband would still be up for it (especially since her husband wants another, even though their daughter is only 6 weeks!).

We're totally up in the air about this. My parents are getting old, but my husband thinks it should be my mom. I think it should be his dad and step-mom since they are younger and she never had kids of her own. I think SMIL would be such a doting primary caregiver.

We are also totally up in the air. We're the "in case of" parents for our friends, but I don't like some of the ways they raise their kids so I don't want them to have ours! My ideal situation would be my brother and his girlfriend but I'd like them to be married....right now we have no plan.

BIL/SIL, and my other BIL/SIL if our first choice isn't able. They are further away than we want our kids to be from my D's patents, but they'd raise our kids the most like we would.

They all know and are willing.

My parents until/unless we feel they can't care for them (though my mom has also said she'd willingly hire someone to care for them in her home if she felt unable). If at some point we decide to switch, it will be to DH's sister. We are guardians for their kids. They would do a wonderful job, but my kids are so comfortable with my parents and it would be least disruptive to their lives (we live 5 minutes from my parents and my mom watches my kids regularly).

My parents, and when my sister settles and is ready, she would get him (I'm hoping my sister is settled before my parents feel too old to care for kids which I feel 99% confident in happening).

We will take my BIL's two kids should it be needed.

My SIL and her husband are our first choice right now, though I don't agree with all of her parenting philosophies and would much rather raise my kids myself.

Choice one, my sister and her husband
Choice two, my MIL
Choice three, my parents

We don't have formal plans yet. It's a conversation though. Honestly, it would likely be friends - but we haven't decided who. Then, once my sister is of age (she's just 17 now), we'd transition the plan to her (providing she ends up being a kind, loving adult who could handle it).

We don't live near family, so sending LO away from our state wouldn't make much sense. It's hard to think about, but super important.

My sister and her husband. They know. We had to tell my inlaws because they are our executors, and I think they were offended that we didn't choose their kids.

DH's sister and her husband. And if they can't, my sister and her husband are the backup. We asked both of them to make sure they were okay/comfortable with it.

My sister and BIL. We decided this right after LO was born.

My parents are our #1 choice; they aren't even 50 so age isn't a factor but they have very different values from how we plan to raise our children ( They are very conservative catholics and we aren't) and they would have to agree to move to OH because I don't want my kids raised in Puerto Rico.

Our siblings are younger & unmarried. My sister has massive student loans and doesn't want kids; BIL is still in college. We would consider them as primary options if they've settled down in 10 years or so.

My cousin and her husband. She's like my sister and we help run our family business together which has some implications on guardianship. They have 5 kids and the youngest is in kindergarten so it would not be a strech age wise. My sister and her husband have 2 kids and are self employed artists living in a one bedroom in SFO- if their situation changes they would become the best choice. My BIL is a gun enthusiast and heavy drinker- he is married and has kids- but no. My parents are not good choice because my Dad was an awful parent. My MIL is caring for her partially disabled husband. It's in writing, but we have not signed yet, doing that next month. It's so hard to pick apart the life of family to make the best decision.

My brother and SIL. They are very close with him. Second would be my parents. We did our will last year.