He has to see himself through the eyes of those who suddenly have never have seen him before. By trying to destroy himself he gains the perspective of what life would be like without him. And he affirms Chesterton's idea that suicide is not a crime against oneself, but against the whole world. Family life is happy, but not peaceful. It is serene, but not safe.
Children are a delight and a disturbance.
Papas are excitable, like mankind. Uncles are stupid, like the world. There is a paradoxical mix of independence and interdependence. Traditions are honored. When one of their clients moves into his new home, the Baileys are there with a ceremony of bread and wine.