Is a blended family the answer for you and your kids?
Before you decide to merge into a blended family You now find yourself hoping a blended family environment can help you and your kids recover the sense of future and permanence which was lost to your...
View ArticleHandling the hateful things your ex-spouse says to your kids
When your kids hear negative talk from your ex-spouse Parents who badmouth their ex-spouse in front of the children simply do not understand how such negative behavior affects their kids. All the...
View ArticleSharing Mother’s Day is a blended family necessity
In a blended family, Mother’s Day can mean conflict Does this sound familiar? Mother’s Day is just around the corner, but as a step mom with a strained relationship with the kids in your blended...
View ArticleKey to blended family success is communication
Communication in your blended family As blended family managers, leaders, and parents, you have so many responsibilities and goals. Sometimes it is hard to know where your attention is most needed....
View ArticleLiving happily ever after in a blended family
Blended family life is no fairy tale Blended families are not usually mentioned positively in the fairy tales of our childhood. Who would have thought that fairy tales could have such a big influence...
View ArticleIdentifying the role of step parent in the blended family
How to establish and defend your role as step parent There is no instruction manual for becoming a step parent; any more than there is a manual on how to be any kind of parent. What kind of step parent...
View ArticleMake a statement with your blended family wedding
Congratulations on your blended family plans So you and your new love have decided to marry and blend your two families. Congratulations. As you plan your wedding and look forward to your lives...
View ArticleBlended family finances can be sticky
Blended family finance matters For some blended family couples, dealing with money issues is not a big deal; but for others, financial matters are problematic. The fact is, blended family finances...
View ArticleOn being a blended family step child
Blended family step child speaks out When my parents first got divorced, my mom and I spent a lot of time together, and I think it helped both of us learn to cope with being alone. It was hard, but we...
View ArticleBlended family advice for divorced co-parents
Co-parenting is fundamental to the blended family When you and your spouse decided to divorce, your thoughts were filled with coping mechanisms and strategies to achieve the split and help make single...
View ArticleWhy step mom should get along with her blended family counterpart
Should stepmom try to get along with his first wife Getting to know and trying to get along with my step kids is keeping me on my toes, and is more of a challenge than I had expected. I have been...
View ArticleMy divorce forced me into becoming a blended family member
From a reluctant extended blended family member These words may sound a little familiar to you: I resent being a part of the blended family my ex-spouse has created. I never imagined my kids living in...
View ArticleDesign your blended family meetings
Blended family meetings are good for you Not many of us were brought up in families that held meetings, so it is understandable if some of us are not very keen on the idea of meeting regularly as a...
View ArticleBlended family unification takes preparation and dedication
Plan for blended family bonding and unity When single parents fall in love and plan to blend their families, they sometimes fall prey to a narrow view of what to expect. Love sometimes does that. It...
View ArticleBlended family advice for dealing with an ex-spouse
Etiquette for dealing with your ex-spouse Some blended family parents post notes on the refrigerator or next to the phones to help them deal with an ex-spouse in a positive way. Notes are especially...
View ArticleCreating blended family household rules that say I love you
Blended family household rules and behavioral boundaries As parents, we want our kids to learn self-discipline, self-reliance and self-motivation; these important life skills can help them be...
View ArticleConflict resolution for the blended family
Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net Blended family conflicts are to be expected It goes without saying that a blended family will have its share of step family conflict. Conflict is part and parcel...
View ArticleBlended family life lessons for us all
Anger is a feeling, not an action How many times have you reminded your children that being angry does not make it okay to hit, to throw things, or otherwise act out? As parents, we remind our kids...
View ArticleYour marriage is the be-all end-all to your blended family
Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net The state of your marriage is the state of your blended family Creating a satisfying marriage is not exactly easy, but it’s not impossible, either. There are...
View ArticleBlended family bonding takes time and effort
New blended family step parents have a lot on their plates when you consider they must learn to balance their regular lives with a new love, a new relationship, new living arrangements, and new step...
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