Ours turned out well too, except I think it was a bit tougher for our now 40-something kids as our family business exacted more from us all in order to succeed. Now they are each very successful, both in work and family, but I feel that they were initially not very demanding of their own kids,  trying to smooth all bumps, and yet expecting they would be prepared to compete in a debt-buried economy given over ever more to foreign operators who couldn't care less about their work/life balance. Now the emphasis has changed and they are focusing their kids to dig in through challenges and stay the course even when it becomes difficult, for worthwhile, not frivolous things..

For all of us, this is reality time.  Decision time. Hard/wise choices time. Save, don't borrow for anything but a good long-term investment,spend wiser time. Work not just harder, but smarter, time, so that we can afford and keep our 'better way'. But Canada and all her kids, families and elders are worth the effort!