You should have a minimal amount that will cover your funeral expenses and provide a safe environment for your child. For example, if your child would be living with relatives after your death, you should consider the additional burden they may have with an extra child. If you want to make sure your child is taken care of as far as college and early adulthood, you would want much more life insurance and have it go to some type of trust.

I would calculate how much it would take to support your child through college to where he could be independant and on his own plus any final expense from your early demise. Figure in cost of someone actually caring for the child medical coverage and the like. If I was to throw a figure out there minimal 200,000 up to 500,000.