Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii Introduction 1 Chapter 1 What Is a Family? 7 Chapter 2 What Is Happiness? 19 Secret 1 Happy Families ... Stick Together 28 Secret 2 Happy Families ... Commit and Communicate 57 Secret 3 Happy Families ... Lean 80 Secret 4 Happy Families ... Teach to and Learn from Children 100 Secret 5 Happy Families ... Blend 131 Secret 6 Happy Families ... Handle Conflict 155 Secret 7 Happy Families ... Bounce 183 Secret 8 Happy Families ... Breathe 206 Epilogue: Happy Families ... Evolve 227 Appendix: Aggregate Results of the Happy Family Survey 231 Notes 243 About the Authors 251 Index 253

About the Author

Dr. Scott Haltzman is clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Alpert Medical School of Brown University and editor of DrScott.com. He is the coauthor of the best-selling books The Secrets of Happily Married Men and The Secrets of Happily Married Women . Theresa Foy DiGeronimo is the author of more than fifty books in the fields of medicine, education, and parenting.