Judith Kleinfeld

This generation that grew up in the midst of an economic recession that has created high levels of unemployment and damaged their future income prospects has become more dependent on their families.

Our stereotype is the middle-aged man ditching his wife for a younger woman. The statistics show otherwise. Women initiate two-thirds of divorces and far more of the separations, according to a nationally representative study by the American Association of Retired People (AARP).

My best friend Jeannie is an extrovert -- sociable, positive, and friendly. She has long, personal conversations with people she meets on walks, with her hairdresser, her accountant, her nurses, and doctors.

One of our most common New Year's resolutions is to get more exercise. Exercise ranks second in New Year's resolutions, right after our first goal of spending more time with friends and family.

When I took my three children to a Chinese shop in San Francisco, the owner asked in astonishment, "Are these children from the same family?"

See if you can solve this simple problem: A bat and ball cost $1.10. The bat costs one dollar more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

My friend Janet is super sensitive to slights. She is often accused of "making a mountain out of a molehill" when she broods about what her friends consider trivial. Their gentle criticism sends Janet even deeper into the dumps.

Paul was a highly sociable fellow -- well-liked, optimistic and cheerful. As a fifth-grader, his grades were good but his teacher described him as more interested in social activities than his lessons. He loved to joke and was happiest when working in a group.

My brother Mike is a "sweet guy" but he doesn't get the money that his ruder colleagues command. Whenever I have problems at work, I give him a call. I can count on him to listen with sympathy and come up with a strategy that wouldn't make others mad. His wife brags that Mike never says something mean about anybody.

A friend of mine is looking for a good school for his daughter. He has seen a lot of excellent teaching, particularly in private schools. He observed one private school teacher who did not have the usual teaching credentials but he did have a Ph.D. in mathematics. He made mathematical concepts crystal clear, and his students were performing far above their grade level.

My friend Janet is super-sensitive to slights. She is often accused of "making a mountain out of a molehill" when she broods about what her friends consider trivial. Their gentle criticism sends Janet even deeper into the dumps.

"When our son-in-law, Salvador, visited the United States for the first time, we drove around my hometown to show him a bit of Middle America. Nearing my bank, I remembered that I needed some cash and entered the lane for the ATM machine," writes psychologist Madeline Van Hecke in her book, "Blind Spots."

Frank and Debra went out to dinner with a charming couple who had everything -- a loving family, a beautiful home, leisure, luxury. "Why can't we be more like them?" she thought. Sure we aren't wealthy, but at least we could have intimacy.

My friends Maria and Paul decided to move in together. Soon they both realized that they had made a mistake. They should move out before they got even more entangled.

"The way dads tend to interact has long-term benefits for kids, independent of those linked to good mothering," writes Sue Shellenbarger. While warm and supportive mothers and fathers are always good for children, fathers and mothers tend to have distinctive ways of dealing with them.