Have you ever wanted to just hear the words ” thank you” from a family member? After all, a little thanks would help you feel appreciated and add joy to your life, right? If you’ve had that desire, you’re not alone. In fact, research conducted by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign confirms your sentiment and goes a step further. This study suggests that expression of gratitude goes a long way in strengthening family relationships.

Specifically, this study’s findings suggest that feeling appreciated by your spouse improves relationship satisfaction in your marriage. Gratitude from your spouse, however, does not impact parenting stress.

Gratitude from children toward parents, on the other hand, reduces parenting stress. Gratitude from teenagers toward their parents was even associated with their parents improved mental health. Interestingly, when a mother feels appreciated by her children, she not only reports lower parental stress, but she also reports higher relationship satisfaction with her spouse.

Finally, this study found that women reported feeling less appreciated than men, both by their spouse and their children. (As a whispering aside, don’t miss the hint in that sentence. Husbands, express appreciation for your spouse more often. Children, don’t forget to thank Mom for all she does.)

As you can see, this study suggests that the expression of gratitude has a powerful effect within the family. Expressing gratitude will strengthen the marital relationship, reduce parental stress, and, at least for women, enhance the parent-child relationship. If you want a happier family, foster a culture of gratitude within your family. If you want your teens to one day enjoy greater relationship satisfaction in their marriages, cultivate a culture of gratitude in your family. Make it a daily habit to look for opportunities to thank your spouse, your children, and your parents. When those opportunities arise, seize the moment. Express your gratitude. Tell your spouse and your children and your parents thank you…and watch your family intimacy grow.