Building Strong Families

The family that works on it together…stays together? Yes, according to this title that follows one family's path to building and reinforcing healthy and strong relationships. Michelle and David Neujahr are parenting experts who here offer their perspectives, along with comments from their children (now all young adults). Divided into several sections—including “Establish Rules,” “Define Your Family,” “Spend Time Together,” “Be Positive,” and “Support One Another”—the program's strong theme is that the paths towards achieving family goals can and should vary. Viewers are advised to create a goal statement for the family—defining what the family is and wants to be, what each individual desires, and what everyone's role should be in getting there. Perhaps the best part of the process is not planning and dreaming, but rather the interactions and bonding that can happen when discussing key questions. The concept of self-care is also given attention, including encouraging parents not to forget about their own health, time with friends, and romantic traditions (including regular “date nights”). While the information is solid, and both mom and dad are parenting experts, it might have been nice to observe a more diverse range of families in order to see how others employ the principles offered here. Even so, this is still a fine guidance program that could provide tools to help enrich the lives of viewers with families. Recommended. Aud: P. (C. Block)