Why are close family relationships important for my child?

Very confident children come from strong, united families. Good communication within a family encourages feelings of self-worth and helps children maintain good relationships with others. Even small families can have close bonds with each other, but that’s not discounting the importance of extended family members. A closeness with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and family friends helps give your child a sense of security and a source of love and acceptance. If your child doesn’t have extended family involved in her life, it may be worthwhile to “adopt” family friends or neighbors to serve in that role.

From Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge Guide to Raising Healthy Children by Jennifer Trachtenberg.