Newsflash: families are a good thing

I'm often baffled at the obvious facts that make the news.

On the other hand, in a culture in which many are attempting to redefine what "family" really means, it is refreshing to see confirmation of what many of us already knew.

NEW YORK - So you're between the ages of 13 and 24. What makes you happy?
...
Turns out the real answer is quite different [from a previous list of depravation]. Spending time with family was the top answer to that open-ended question, according to an extensive survey — more than 100 questions asked of 1,280 people ages 13-24 — conducted by The Associated Press and MTV [stalwarts of strong family values...] on the nature of happiness among America's young people.

Next was spending time with friends, followed by time with a significant other. And even better for parents: Nearly three-quarters of young people say their relationship with their parents makes them happy.

Now, if more parents would quit trying to be their kids' best friend and start being parents (aka, rules are okay!), we'd really be on the right track.