Little Things Shared: Lasting Connections Between Family and Friends

by Susan Newman

With warmth and humor, Susan Newman presents hundreds of novel ways to strengthen bonds between family and friends and to stay connected--no matter how far apart you live. She inspires parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, siblings, step-relatives, and friends to reconnect and create traditions. She offers exciting opportunities to establish ties between young and old, not only on major holidays and special occasions but every day.

Little Things Shared is a treasure trove of simple-to-execute ideas for developing the meaningful
experiences that keep family and friends supportive and

Have a celebration for everyone born in the same month.
Distribute individual family recipes or create a book of family recipes.
Fill an album with pictures of someone's life.
Pass along family keepsakes.
Build connections with children by teaching a         youngster your special talent--gardening, cooking, guitar playing.
Learn how and why to search for extended family and the many ways to design a family tree.
Discover the secrets of successful and unique reunions with family and friends as well as how to make the most of time together.


In today's world, communicating is quicker and easier than ever before. Little Things Shared makes connecting

Create a website for your whole family.
Teach a grandparent to e-mail.
Send your latest snapshots over the Internet.
Recognize a birthday with virtual flowers or virtual junk food.


The next time you think or say, "One of these days I'm going to get in touch with...," make that day today. In the end, with Little Things Shared , you'll become a more involved and engaging relative and friend.

126 pages, Hardcover

First published January 20, 1998

About the author

Susan Newman, Ph.D. is a social psychologist, and the author of fifteen relationship and parenting books, including Parenting an Only Child , Little Things Long Remembered, and Under One Roof Again: All Grown Up and (Re)learning to Live Together Happily and The Book of NO: 365 Ways to Say It and Mean It--and Stop People-Pleasing Forever.