President Dallin H. Oaks made a profound observation during the most recent general conference. As an explanation for why parental influence has declined, he said:
In times past, one of the great influences that unified families was the experience of struggling together in pursuit of a common goal—such as taming the wilderness or earning a living. The family was an organized and conducted unit of economic production. Today, most families are units of economic consumption, which do not require a high degree of family organization and cooperation.
“The Family-Centered Gospel of Jesus Christ,” October 2025 general conference
The observation was striking. Collective production requires more organization and therefore builds more cohesiveness than collective consumption. Therefore, families which are actively creating something together will tend to be more unified than families whose shared experience consists primarily of eating together, sleeping under the same roof, and enjoying entertainment together.
The Family Proclamation includes work as one of the nine principles upon which successful marriages and families are built. When Nephi and his people established a city, they were “industrious, and [labored] with their hands.” As they worked together in a common cause, they “lived after the manner of happiness” (2 Nephi 5:17, 27).
President Oaks suggested some productive activities that families can collaborate on:
Families unite when they do meaningful things together. Family gardens build family relationships. Happy family experiences strengthen family ties. Camping, sports activities, and other recreation are especially valuable to bond families. Families should organize family reunions to remember ancestors, which lead to the temple.
Parents should educate children in the basic skills of living, including working in the yard and home. Learning languages is a useful preparation for missionary service and modern life. The teachers of these subjects can be parents or grandparents or members of the extended family. Families flourish when they learn as a group and counsel together on all matters of concern to the family and its members.
“The Family-Centered Gospel of Jesus Christ,” October 2025 general conference
So even if we don’t work together to earn a living, we can gain many of the same benefits by working toward shared goals, including learning together.
Of course all families are also consumers, but if we want greater cohesiveness and interdependency, we need to intentionally move beyond consumption and find ways to produce something together.
Today I will counsel with my family about how we can become more of a unit of production instead of merely consumption. I will list potential productive activities and goals and discuss with them which ones we would like to pursue in the new year.