Divorce can be a Very Successful Brand Manager’s worst nightmare. Sweating over who will get the lodge in Aspen or that little island tucked away in the Caribbean. The haunting rap of the judge’s gavel as he rules that you don’t need the helicopter as much as your spouse does. The spine tingling flitter of thousands of “his” and “hers” stickers labelling everything in the manor house.

But it doesn’t need to be. You might have an ace up your sleeve. Yes, you guessed it. The kids. The very heirs to your fortune can often save you a fortune. Undervalued by many, children make the perfect bargaining chips. But the secret is in understanding their relative fiscal value.

Well, what are the kids worth? There are some indicators to help you access their value.

Gender. Yes, unfortunately even in our modern age, gender does count. Daughters evoke the strongest parental instincts and you can never place enough value on emotional pull. But don’t discount the man-child. Bring out the football and you’ve got the Achilles’ heel of any dad.

Age. Younger children are more valuable. Those chubby little faces are worth a fortune. Well, at least a Bell 430 Skyhawk with custom seating for eight and built-in entertainment cabinet. However, under the age of 9 months, children may not have the fiscal value of an older toddler. Early potty training can help offset their other disadvantages and increase their value.

The numbers game. An old ruse that can sometimes blow up in your face. Some believe that having a tribe of children will increase their bargaining power. Wrong. Love can only spread so far and the parental concern often dwindles around the middle children. Which will detract from your bid to keep the manor house with its rightful owner – you.

The right spouse. Choosing a marriage partner with divorce in mind sounds complicated but is essential. It’s no good bargaining with an eternal playboy or an ice queen. Clucky is probably the right word here. Look for early signs when you are first dating. An easy test is dinner at a family restaurant. If your spouse-to-be can handle other people’s children high on fizzy sugar drinks they will make wonderful and caring parents.

Overcoming your guilt. It may sound surprising but one day your children will thank you. Ultimately you have their welfare at heart. Your worldly goods will one day becomes theirs and who is better equipped to look after their future assets? You, the very successful brand manager or your ex-spouse?

So remember, when you’re sitting at the bargaining table and the chips are down, you are doing it for the kids. And besides, what does your ex-spouse know about the upkeep of Caribbean island?