Bill Gates, the world's richest man and founder of Microsoft, is determined not to shower his children with so much wealth they "do nothing" and intends to leave most of his fortune to charity.
In a rare discussion about his own family, Mr Gates and his wife Melinda said they decided before they even had children that they would not spoil them with money, the couple told a conference in Vancouver.
Mr Gates, whose fortune is estimated by Forbes magazine at $76 billion (NZD$89b), is determined that the prosperity accruing from his company will not mean a life of leisure as so-called "trustafarians" for his three teenage children, Jennifer, Phoebe and Rory. "They need to have a sense that their own work is meaningful and important," he said.
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Mr and Mrs Gates were introduced as heading the world's richest family and asked about their approach to parenting.