The Meaning of Money in The Family
Charles Collier, author of “Wealth in Families” (Wealth in Families, not translated into Spanish), maintains that ask the big questions is extremely important to resolve family disputes.
The author says that normally when a partner asks what you most want for their children, the answer is “to be happy.” But then, compared to the basic question, which is “what will make them really happy?” The answer that follows is: “they can become passionate about something.”
Here, then, one of the keys to the wishes of parents for their children, get them to commit to something that can give meaning to their lives.
The following questions are how can we nurture the growth and development of the members of our families and what place the money in this journey through life. In discussing these issues, financial stress and family disputes can be resolved harmoniously.
There are other questions that families should be, what’s the meaning of our financial fortunes, which are the values you want to preserve our family and what is the purpose of our family (what Stephen Covey, in “The Seven Habits of People Highly Effective, referred to as “family mission”).
Collier notes that financial wealth is only a tool to increase the growth of each household member, regardless of their life journey. And points out that a family does not have exclusively a financial capital.
It also has the human capital formed by the talents and capabilities of each, and intellectual capital consisting of knowledge, communication skills and the skills to overcome the differences and conflicts. And, as a significant wealth, Collier puts the social capital, including civic engagement, the ability to form social networks and community attitudes to extend care beyond the family.
It is important to note, the author argues that family harmony is a learning process that takes a lifetime. Then, when taking decisions, is when you have to wonder what part of the learning process is, where is the family, what to do from that moment and what is the impact that the family is willing to tolerate in order to live in harmony.