Sure, I can be a stepdad; how hard can it be? If I only knew what I needed to know, my first question would be drastically different. Over ten years as a stepparent, I’ve experienced many seasons with my stepson. Some seasons, where he wanted me more involved and closer to the vest, so to […]
When people ask us to name one of the biggest problems that we see in blended families, we talk about misplaced priorities—when a husband or wife puts their children ahead of their spouse. It is one of the most common reasons for divorce in remarried couples. We’ve counseled many blended couples, and we have seen […]
Many couples enter a blended marriage thinking the children will quickly adjust to all the new changes, but there may be so many. Your family’s situation may change rapidly, but for children, transition is seldom quick. That’s okay. You are in this marriage for the long haul, and you’ve plenty of time to make this […]
Co-parenting can be a challenge under the best of circumstances. When your ex-spouse and you different on matters of faith, the tension and strain can supercharge your conflicts. One of the biggest questions we get from people is how to co-parent when your ex-spouse holds different beliefs than you do. If that’s your case, you’re […]
When you get married again, you will likely feel a variety of emotions–excitement, nervousness, anticipation, and perhaps even a little fear. Your kids will experience the effects of remarriage, too, and they also feel a slew of emotions. The difference is that as an adult, you have developed the skills and maturity to express and […]
It’s been long said that expectation is the enemy of joy. That should be the mantra of your blended family, especially in the critical first year or two. Paint it on your walls, write it on a sticky note on your desk, needlepoint it on a throw pillow…do whatever you need to do to keep this saying […]
How Alienating Your Co-Parent Could Harm Your Child. Co-parenting can be a huge challenge, especially when one or more of the parents is engaged in child manipulation and parent alienation. It is one of the most common issues blended families and single parents face–but almost no one talks about it. The divorce decree may outline […]
Blended families face unique challenges that bring out a wide variety of emotions in you and your children, especially when you are beginning to blend. Feeling anxiety over blending your family is common, not only for you but also for your children. That anxiety and sadness can linger and interfere with their daily lives. The […]
What to Do When Your Ex Demands Litigation! We will never forget the day when a simple knock on the door changed our lives forever. We’d been married just four years. And in that time, we learned first to be a family: Scott, Vanessa and Michael, Vanessa’s son from a previous marriage. Then we had […]
3 Questions to Ask When Considering Litigation! Can we be honest with you right from the start? Talking about litigation means opening up about one of the toughest seasons of our life. In 2017, we went from co-parenting to court. And yeah, we expected litigation to be a legal battle—lawyer versus lawyer and ex versus […]
