Book excerpt: Learning how to get along with family not only strengthens the family and each member’s emotional security, it also provides individuals with valuable relationship-building tools and skills that will serve them well outside the family—in school and at work and throughout the larger web of life’s relationships—friends, classmates, teachers, co-workers, bosses, neighbors, romantic partners, and one’s own children. Studies show that strong family relationships help teens stay away from drugs and alcohol. Strong bases also help them stay out of trouble with the authorities, such as police or school officials. For many teens, improved school performance is also a benefit of strong family relationships. There is no one secret to help you get along in complex relationships. There are, however, sensible tips to help you not only merely get along with family members, but build healthy, enriching, rewarding, and enduring relationships that will provide strength, support, and security throughout your life. This volume enables readers to pursue healthy relationships with these tips and serves as an essential guidebook to the most central and important relationships of your life. Readers are encouraged to be actively involved with the 10 Great Questions to Ask and Myths & Facts that are provided.