When you picture a “normal” family, what do you see? Is it the traditional notion of one male parent and one female parent, two kids, and a family pet? Or do you see something different? Do you perhaps you reject the notion of a “normal” family altogether?

 

Recent court and legislative activity have opened the institution of marriage to same-gender couples. Regardless of your political stance or opinion, it is happening.

 

Today 1 in 4 children under the age of 18 is raised by a single mother without a father in the picture at all. And nearly 30% of all families today are single parent families. 5% of children aren’t living with a “traditional” parent at all, but rather with grandparents or other family members.

 

Simply put, mainstream familial society is changing in our country.

 

Sometimes, with affluence comes reinforcement of our personal norms. We often attend institutions – like religious institutions and schools, for example—where most everyone else looks and thinks like we do.

 

While we may feel most comfortable in these arenas, we need to push the boundaries with our kids for their sake. Regardless of our politics, visible American culture is changing. We cannot expect voluntary segregation of our society—by race, socioeconomic status, or any other factor—to continue.

 

So how can we help our kids be open to cultural and familial differences and to embrace the complexities therein? Children are best prepared through modeling and practice. This is the true inheritance we leave behind.

Be cognizant of the cultural norms you silently promote, through your choice of neighborhoods, entertainment, institutions, and even the company you keep. It is critical that American children remain open to differences and complexities, to enable them to work and play with those who may be different from them as our society moves forward to keep in step with the ever-evolving nature of our world.

 

Ultimately, estate planning isn’t just about passing on your money. We call it Estate, Life and Legacy Planning because it’s about passing on your whole family wealth. This  includes your values, insights, stories and experience, most of which we pass on unknowingly. When you can bring awareness to this planning, beyond just the financial pieces, you are giving your children a true gift that doesn’t just span a lifetime, but lasts for many generations.

 

Parents experiencing our Estate, Life and Legacy Planning process repeatedly tell us that the process itself guides them to see many of the parts of true inheritance that they, and likely you,  are overlooking. The process itself allows my clients feel better about themselves as parents and it allows their children feel loved and protected.

 

This article is a service of Rozita Yacobi who develops trusting relationships with families for life. That's why we offer an Estate, Life and Legacy Planning Session, where we can help identify the best strategies for you and your family for now and in the future. You can begin by calling our office today at (310) 276-1128 to schedule a time for us to sit down and talk because this planning is so important.