Sometimes small changes can impact our families in enormous ways. With that in mind, I’d like to suggest we all practice “the less and the more of a healthier family.”

• Less complaining and more gratitude.
• Less hectic running around and more leisure time interacting with family.
• Less rushing through a drive through on your way to the next activity and more times eating dinner as a family.
• Less criticism and more encouragement.
• Less incidents of saying “no” and more times finding ways to say “yes.”
• Less time on social media, TV, and other screens and more time interacting face to face through conversation and activities.
• Less time playing video games and more time playing games with other family members.
• Less time demanding that family meet “my” individual needs and more time serving my family’s needs.
• Less time talking in an effort to be understood and more time listening to understand.
• Less time taking our children, spouses, and parents for granted and more time acknowledging their contributions to the home.
• Less time demanding our spouse or children change and more time recognizing their growth.

These 11 “less and more” changes may appear small, but they will have an amazingly positive impact on your family. Pick 2 or 3 and practice them for a couple weeks and see if it’s not true. Then pick 2 or 3 more to practice after that. You and your family will be so happy you did.