A family is a place

to cry and laugh

and vent frustration

to ask for help

and tease and yell,

to be touched and

hugged and smiled at.

A family is people

who care when you are sad,

who love you no matter what,

who share your triumphs,

who don’t expect you to be perfect,

just growing up with honesty in your own decisions.

A family is a circle

where we learn to make good decisions,

where we learn to think before we do,

where we learn with integrity and table manners

and respect for other people;

where we are special,

where we listen and are listened to,

where we learn the rules of life

to prepare ourselves for the world.

The world is a place where anything can happen:

If we grow up in a loving family we are ready for the world.