Decades of research have shown that most happy families communicate effectively. But talking doesn't mean simply 'talking through problems,' as important as that is. Talking also means telling a positive story about yourselves.

When faced with a challenge, happy families, like happy people, just add a new chapter to their life story that shows them overcoming the hardship. This skill is particularly important for children, whose identity tends to get locked in during adolescence.

The most successful families embrace and elevate their family history, particularly their failures, setbacks and other missteps.

One of a parent’s most important tasks is teaching their children how to communicate effectively and politely

If you tell your own story to your children - that includes your positive moments and your negative moments, and how you overcame them - you give your children the skills and the confidence they need to feel like they can overcome some hardship that they've felt.

There's a reason the Exodus story has inspired so many Americans. It's a narrative of hope.