Five Fatherhood Lessons from our Founders
You may know Peter and Lingke as the founding fathers of Ethos. But now, they’re both also dads! Like all new parents, they’re learning important lessons about fatherhood every day. Through it all, they’re gaining an even deeper understanding of how essential life insurance is for growing families. This Father’s Day, read the most important lessons they’ve learned, and why getting coverage is one of the best things a new dad (or any parent!) can do.
Lesson 1: Time is at a premium
“The amount of time I want to dedicate to family has substantially increased since having kids,” says Lingke. “It results in much less time for anything less important than family or Ethos.”
Does that sound familiar, new parents? Time is tight once you have kids. Luckily, getting a quote for life insurance through Ethos takes seconds. Once you’re ready to apply, you can do so 100% online in about 10 minutes. In the time it takes to hand wash baby bottles, you could have life insurance to help protect your family.
Lesson 2: Prepare to be surprised
Parenthood tends to change everything you thought you knew. “I used to think kids, especially younger ones, were boring! Since having kids, I really enjoy being a part of play dates,” says Lingke.
For Peter, enjoying working primarily from home was a big surprise, but a welcome one. “It allows me to be more present than I would’ve been spending five days a week in the office. I can spend more quality time with the little ones.”
Families who use Ethos are often surprised that getting life insurance is easier than they imagined. When you apply, there’s no medical exam required. Just answer a few health questions, and you’re all set. To make things even easier, we offer same-day coverage options, so you can get covered ASAP.
Once you become a parent, the surprises never stop—good or bad. With life insurance, you can be prepared for everything ahead. And since we approve nearly 95% of people, applying through Ethos won’t lead to any unpleasant surprises.
Related: Try the coverage calculator
Lesson 3: Tough conversations are important
Holding talks like “the birds and the bees” is an important responsibility for any parent. But too many families are putting off another awkward conversation: end-of-life planning.
Research conducted by Ethos shows that Americans don’t like to talk about death. When asked which taboo topic they’d be willing to tackle, they said money, sex, politics, or religion more than death.
“According to our research, more than forty percent of Americans with children under 18 would prefer to die a sudden death to avoid worrying about end-of-life planning,” says Peter. “That’s why at Ethos, upon activating a policy, we give families easy access to the estate planning tools they need to stop worrying and start living.”
Lesson 4: Family comes first (today, and later)
Did you know that 5% of kids will lose a parent before turning 15?* This heartbreaking reality continues to drive Peter and Lingke, who both agree their priorities are family—and running a company that cares for other families.
Sadly, only 20% of Americans have made arrangements for who will take care of their children after passing away. And just 49% of Americans with minor children have life insurance. That’s why taking a few minutes to secure a financial safety net for your family—now, before anything happens—is so important. Especially because, according to the USDA, families can expect to spend $233,000 to raise one child.
Lingke puts it best: “Just get it done. You don’t want your spouse and kids to be worrying about money if something happens to you.” Tough love advice, but that’s what we look to fathers for, right?
Lesson 5: You got this!
There’s no sugar coating it: Life is full of ups and downs. And life with kids can be even more unpredictable. But as Peter and Lingke both know, giving 110% to your family makes it all worth it. “Jump in with both feet and commit yourself. The more love and time you invest, the more you will get out of it,” says Peter.
This Father’s Day, invest a little love and time in your family by getting a life insurance quote from Ethos. It takes only seconds to get unparalleled peace of mind.
- Peter & Lingke