ABSTRACT
Living a good life and being able to offer a similar standard of living to one’s children is a fundamental human desire; it is a goal shared both internationally and historically. This chapter discusses the common ideals of a good life and a proper life‑course and the ways in which these concepts have been argued and categorised in discussions. The chapter reflects on how these ideals have been expressed by common people with a Finnish background across different generations and examines how they have been negotiated, transmitted, and reproduced in individual families. To investigate these issues, I utilise a special family life‑course interview database consisting of 135 life‑course interviews with three generations of Finns living in Finland and Canada.
