What additional coverage can S add to his whole life policy to cover his children?

The addition of a child term rider to a whole life policy is designed specifically to provide coverage for the insured's children. This rider allows the policyholder to add insurance coverage for each child, typically at a lower cost than a standalone policy. It ensures that, in the event of the death of a child, benefits will be paid to help cover funeral expenses or other financial needs that may arise.

The child term rider is beneficial because it covers children for a specified term—usually until they reach a certain age, often 18 or 21 years old—at which point they may be able to convert this coverage into their own policy without needing to provide evidence of insurability. This gives parents peace of mind knowing their children are insured during their younger, more vulnerable years.

The other options do not specifically target coverage for children in the same way. A family policy generally provides coverage for the entire family as a unit but does not focus on child-specific coverage. A spouse rider would only provide coverage for a spouse, and a dependent rider—while it may imply coverage for dependents—does not specifically include the distinct provisions available in a child term rider tailored for children's coverage.