Want To Get Closer Than Close To Your Family? Easy!

Here are some tips for maximum bonding from Dr. David Niven, a family therapist who wrote the book "The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy Families"

• Start by sitting in a circle at mealtime. Studies show that whether you sit in a circle at the table or on a picnic blanket in the backyard, the circle automatically strengthens family ties – or even just friendships. Clinical psychologist Dr. Alexa Foster says it makes everybody feel included and important – rather than the important person sitting at the head of the table.
• Another bonding tip: Get some yellow in your life – yellow throw pillows, a yellow blanket, yellow walls. Scientists say the color yellow encourages people to open up and be more talkative. Then, once the conversation is going, talk about your day. Did something embarrassing happen, something funny, something frustrating? One of the best ways to bond is to talk candidly about your life. When parents open up, children feel more comfortable to talk truthfully about their own lives.

If you want to go further, the name of the book again is "The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy Families" by Dr. David Niven.