 Fame
& Fortune: Dr. Laura Schlessinger
No 'guilty' pleasures for her -- she's
earned them all
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She's the voice in your car. She's
the voice in your head. She's the stern, but understanding, parent
you never had.
Laura Schlessinger has been
dispensing tough-love advice and hard-couch therapy to rush-hour
commuters on her syndicated drive-time radio program since before
Dr. Phil gave his first man-hug.
The Brooklyn, N.Y.-born Dr. Laura
headed west to earn her postdoctoral degree in marriage, family
and child counseling at the University of Southern California and
worked in private practice for 12 years. She also served on the
faculties of USC, Pepperdine University, UCLA and University of
California, Irvine.
In 1994, Schlessinger's noon-to-3 call-in
program made her the talk of the water cooler. She parlayed her
on-air success into a publishing franchise with such New York Times
Best-sellers as "Ten Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their
Lives," "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands"
and her latest, "Bad Childhood -- Good Life."
Bankrate pulled over Schlessinger to answer a few questions about money, success and happiness.
Bankrate: In your new
book, "Bad Childhood -- Good Life," you explore how childhood
dynamics and experiences often hamper people throughout their lives.
What kind of childhood did you have? Were there things you had to
do to overcome your family imprinting?
Laura Schlessinger: My
parents were both very intense -- especially my father. Neither
was emotionally demonstrative, kissy-huggy or warm. I grew up without
one motherly hug, and my father was seriously critical and demanding.
While I had all the basics of a middle-class home, the warm, family,
loving, bonding stuff never happened. It took me most of my adulthood
to enjoy the fruits of my hard work (school, teaching, radio). Trying
to be perfect and hoping to be loved for being successful, sadly,
was my "life's plan" for way too long.
Bankrate: We often acquire
our money values and skills from our parents. How were you with
money as a kid -- a saver, a spender, a borrower? What did you acquire,
good or bad, from your parents regarding how to manage money?
Laura Schlessinger:
My father was the primary breadwinner; my mother took care of the
home and finances. We always had our home done up nicely because
my mother was very smart with money and would squirrel it away and
surprise my dad with a wad when something more major needed to be
done -- a small patio in the back yard, for example. I remember
him being very proud when, after three years of payments, he finally
owned his car (the only car in the family) outright. My mother was
artistic, and our home was always lovely. I personally have been
through horrible financial times and wonderful financial times.
I have the same mentality throughout: When I have money, I enjoy
it. When I don't have money, I don't put myself in debt by overspending
nor do I borrow. I just live with what is ... the having-money times
are much better.
Bankrate: What's the best
piece of advice you ever received about money, and from whom?
Dr. Laura Schlessinger:
My father: "Never make important decisions in life based on
money." I took that to mean that I should never sell my soul,
reputation or integrity for a buck -- and I never have.
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