When I was ten years old, my father announced to my mother that he had decided to quit his corporate job and start a consulting business with a colleague. This was the 1960’s when joint decision-making between husbands and wives was uncommon. My mother was worried about my father’s plan to quit his job, but my father charged ahead despite her concerns.
My parents did not have a financial safety net to pay the bills as my father’s business got off the ground. In fact, he used all of his children’s college funds to pay the household bills since business income was so low. After a few months, the business failed.
As a result, our family moved to a less expensive community in Connecticut for a year where we rented a house while our family home was for sale. The following year, my family moved to Vermont where we had spent many winter weekends skiing. As we had done every winter, we piled into the Buick station wagon and headed north. But this time it wasn’t for a vacation. My dad was unemployed for several months while my mother began a job at the University of Vermont as a secretary. My parents were deeply in debt with two children in college. There were many months when they were not able to pay their monthly bills.
To be continued.....
Take action: Are you facing a major transition in your own life? Have you talked with members of your household to get their feedback and input? How will this decision impact your loved ones? How could you work together to make a decision that honors everyone in your home?
Copyright 2012 Connie Livingston All rights reserved
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