The doctor's advice this week is to appreciate your own family, flaws and all.

You remember thinking, "Why does it always seem to happen to me?"

At a dinner party, the couple sitting next to you starts talking about their children and grandchildren.

Their daughter is a physician and their son-in-law is a lawyer. The couple's son is a multimillionaire who made the right investments and his wife is equally wealthy selling her homemade cookies.

It doesn't end there. The grandchildren are also achievers. One grandson had an almost-perfect SAT score and a granddaughter was just elected captain of her tennis team.

You think, "Where did I go wrong just having average kids who do well in school but aren't at the top of their class?"

First of all, you certainly did not go wrong. If your children are generally healthy, happy, doing the right things, and are good kids, you did a fine job and are ahead of the game.

There is no "family utopia," that is, a family that has no problems, perfect children and wonderful parents.

An outside observer who has only a superficial glimpse of what goes on behind closed doors. They may think there is family bliss but, realistically, all families have issues. Granted, some more than others.

And there are studies to help confirm this.

According to the results of a recent study of approximately 1,200 children and 633 middle-age parents, researchers found that 68 percent of the parents reported that they had at least one grown child who has experienced at least one problem during the past two years.

Approximately 60 percent of the parents said that they have a mix of both successful and unsuccessful children.

But how do you measure success?

Are people who earn an average salary in jobs that have a positive impact on helping others more or less successful that a wealthy businessman or woman?

Granted, money does impact your lifestyle, and this is important, but it is just one component of what constitutes a successful person and family.

So when you sit next to someone who regales you with how wonderful and successful their family is, remember there is no family utopia.

Appreciate your own family, flaws and all.
