The best way to keep families close and teach children essential life skills is to keep family dinner time a priority. No matter what else is going on, families should stop everything else at least five times a week for a quiet moment to touch base. Family dinners should include time for each member to talk about the day while the others listen patiently, with a few moments for supportive comments and follow-up questions. All electronic and telephonic devices should be banned until after the dishes are washed. I was very pleased to see this book from the editors of Cookie Magazine, a terrific resource for parents about how to make it work.