•  Live a healthy lifestyle together.

•  Plan to eat at least one meal a day together. Have each person talk about his or her day, such as stating the best part and worst part.

•  Spend time together. Attend important events for each family member.

•  Express care and concern. Be available to help each other out. Listen, listen, listen.

•  Practice good manners. Say, “Thank you” and “You’re welcome.” Make it a practice to send thank you calls, notes, letters, or emails to others for gifts and other acts of kindness.

•  Express affection. Say, “I love you,” “I care about you,” and “You mean a lot to me.”

•  Discuss the value of the family as a whole. Encourage individual expression and development.

•  Define clear, yet flexible roles for family members. Assign family chores.

•  Keep the house as organized as possible.

•  Discuss the need to adapt to changes and deal with stressful events.

•  Seek professional help for problems the family cannot deal with on its own.

•  Being well cared for and feeling secure

•  Receiving trust, love, support, and hugs

•  Spending quality time together

•  Listening well to each other

•  Solving problems in a positive way

•  Positive mood of family members

•  Satisfaction with job and/or being a parent

•  Being involved with partner and children

•  Higher income and/or financial security