EIGHT Secrets of Happy Families...according to Parenting Magazine
1. Create Traditions
Whether it's making pancakes for dinner on Sunday nights or ending every car trip by saying "Home, James," unique family rituals strengthen ties...
"Traditions give children a sense of identity and belonging," says Richard Eyre, coauthor of The Happy Family: Restoring the 11 Essential Elements That Make Families Work. "They may seem insignificant to adults, but kids hang on to them."

2. Rally 'Round the Table
Sitting around the table — or even just grating carrots in the kitchen — encourages kids and parents to relax and share what's on their mind (keep the TV off!). The benefits of this quality mealtime are long-lasting: Kids from families who dine together frequently are 31 percent less likely to smoke, drink, or do drugs later on as teenagers, according to a study of 2,000 youngsters by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.

3. Get Into the Game
"Playing together builds strong bonds and warm memories — you're in effect saying 'We have a great time together,'" says Nick Stinnett, Ph.D., professor of human development at the University of Alabama and author of Fantastic Families: 6 Proven Steps to Building a Strong Family. In his 25-year study, which tracked 14,000 families nationwide, he found the happiest families spent time playing board and card games together.

4. Clean Up as a Clan
Doing chores as a family.. you work, you talk, you get closer. "Children might grumble when they're helping wash dishes or sort laundry, but these things create a sense of achievement and connection," says Stinnett. Even running everyday errands with your child, whether walking the dog or going to the gas station, can provide short but sweet bonding time.

5. Enhance One Another's Ego
If you want to build team spirit, encourage your family to be cheerleaders. In a survey of 150 families conducted by Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, those who seemed most content — and had the most fun together — also expressed their support most often. They exchanged compliments in public and private and generally rooted for one another. "When parents went to their kids' sporting events, for instance, they took the younger siblings along instead of leaving them with a sitter," says Rutgers's Susan Newman, Ph.D. "The message is 'We're here for one another.'" The more your kids know about their siblings' schedules, the easier it is for them to say, "Good luck on your test" or "Don't worry. I was scared on the first day of school too."

6. Nurture a Spiritual Side
Whether or not they follow an organized religion, happy families tend to spend time reflecting on gratitude and blessings. Doing that out loud in the evenings..."They offer thanks for something good that happened at school or ask for blessings for other family members who are having a hard time. We learn so much about one another after sharing our concerns out loud. I think it keeps us all close."

7. Hand Out the Hugs
Anyone who's ever had a massage or been comforted by an embrace knows what a powerful force touch can be. "Strong families show a lot of physical affection," says Stinnett. "Touch communicates — and nurtures — connection. Even a simple pat on the back at a difficult moment can strengthen the bond." And don't underestimate the power of silly displays of affection, like rubbing noses or trading butterfly kisses.

8. Look for Laughter
You don't have to learn new knock-knock jokes. "Humor isn't about consciously trying to be funny," says Eyre. "It's really about creating a light, 'life is good' atmosphere at home." Some of the most irritating moments — three cups of spilled juice in a row, crayons melted on car upholstery — can become your family's funniest, most cherished stories in years to come.
Charlotte Latvala in Parenting, October 2002