RULE 66

Mix and match

This Rule helps to build your relationships with your kids, and their relationships with each other. It also helps things along if you’re in any danger of having a favourite child, resenting certain qualities in your children, or feeling you don’t have enough in common with them.

Lots of traditional families (especially two parents + two kids families) tend to hang out together a lot. Maybe during the week one or other of the parents will be off working, but at weekends they all go out as a family. I know loads of families like this, and it’s generally reckoned to be a good thing.

Well, yes … and no. You can have too much of a good thing. It’s important to make sure that you also spend time in as many different combinations ...

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