Checklist of Family Goals – Values in Marriage

In Part 1 we started an overview of the Values in Marriage and how it was much more than money. Below we continue with a checklist to review with your spouse or future spouse on what to your future together may look like!

Family

• How many children do you hope to have?
• What kind of life would you like to provide your family – in terms of home? Health care? Education? Opportunities?
• Are you ready for the responsibilities of parenthood?
• Ready for the sacrifices it may call for?
• Ready to provide leadership and example to your children?
• Are you ready for the continuing financial responsibilities of parenthood?

Work

• Is the husband (this applies to the wife as well) now doing the sort of work he wants to continue to do?
• Does it make the best use of his abilities?
• Does it give him a sense of satisfaction?
• If not, at what point will he be able to make a change?
• Has he thoroughly investigated a new field he would like to enter?
• If he plans to continue in his present work, does he know where he would like to be five years from now? Fifteen years from now?
• Is his present company one in which he has the best chances of getting ahead?
• Would he do better in business for himself?
• Does he need additional training in his field to get as far as possible?
• When would be the ideal time to get that training?
• If the wife is working, how long does she intend to continue?
• Does she plan to resume work after the family is full-grown?
• Do your financial plans make it possible for the head of your household to change jobs?
• Get training?
• Start a business of his own?

Home

• Are you now living in the home in which you plan to raise your family?
• If you are living in an apartment, do you plan to buy a home? If so, when?
• Have you thought of the advantages of suburbs vs. city? Small town vs. large metropolitan area?
• Do you know what kind of neighborhood would best meet your present needs?
• Your needs ten years from now?
• What furniture and appliances do you plan to buy this year? Within the next five years? Within the next ten years?
• Do your financial plans support your goals in terms of home ownership?
• Moving into a larger home when you need it?
• Furnishing your home in the way you want?

Education

• Are either or both of you still in school?
• Can you postpone most of your major purchases of durable goods until you have completed your education?
• Do either of you plan any advanced training which you feel is necessary for your career?
• When would be the most suitable time to get such training?
• Do you plan to take advantage of adult education opportunities which will enrich your enjoyment of life? Or develop new skills, interests, hobbies?
• How soon? How much?
• Are your financial plans geared to your educational plans, so that you can afford to continue your present educational program?
• Get advanced training?

Recreation

• What are your chief sources of recreation now?
• How might these change as your family grows?
• How far ahead do you plan your vacation?
• Do you have hobbies, sports interests, and other recreational outlets that make leisure something you look forward to, actively rather than passively?
• Do both of you share hobbies?
• Will any of your hobbies give you increasing pleasure as you grow older?
• Are you interested in traveling around the United States?
• Do you know what points of interest you particularly want to see?
• When do you plan to take these trips?
• Do you have any plans for foreign travel? When?
• What things will you ultimately want to buy in order to realize your plans for recreation – another car, SUV, trailer, boat, camping equipment, barbecue equipment, swimming pool, time share or a week-end cabin in the mountains?
• Do your financial plans include the costs of an annual vacation to the place of your choice?
• The eventual purchase of the recreational equipment you want?
• World travel when you feel your family is ready for it?

Future Security

• How long do you plan to work – health and other factors permitting?
• What plans can you realistically make to meet increasing needs for medical care as you get older?
• What will be the sources of your income after you stop working?
• What provisions will you make for providing income in case the head of the household dies before his wife?
• Where, ideally, would you like to live after retirement?
• Which of your present interests would you like to continue when you are older?
• What can you do in the years between now and age 65 to achieve the sort of life you want then?

Personal Development

• What kind of person do you hope to become in the course of your adult life?
• What sort of cooperation will this call for from your mate?
• Where do you want to put most of your personal energies – family, career, church, social activities, politics and community activities?
• Do you have talents you want to develop?
• How can marriage help you reach greater self-understanding?
• Do you have an image of the person you want to be twenty years from now?
• Are you making any plans now to attain that image?
• How can money management help you reach your goals of personal development?

Let’s look at “Values in Marriage – People in Your Life“