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Five Keys to Avoiding Stepfamily Holiday Blues
November 2007 Featured with Chef Missy Chaise Lapine
Excerpt: Holidays are supposed to be filled with laughter, joy and loving family gatherings, however many people
become stressed and depressed by the demands on time and finances. Add to that pressure, the dynamics of
stepfamily — jockeying children between homes, changing family traditions, exponential gift giving — and the
season can become the reason for disruption.
Are We There Yet - Making the Most of Your Blended Family Vacation
July 2007 Featured with Israel Houghton
Excerpt: Stepparenting is like managing a late night convenience story — all of the responsibility and none of the
authority. Did you know that under most state laws, stepparents have no legal right to make decisions on behalf of
their stepchildren? So before you load up “the bunch” for a family vacation, make sure you’ve packed these items
in your stepfamily survival kit:
Let Not Man - Or Child - Put Asunder
May 2007 Featured with Judge Glenda Hatchett
Excerpt: Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man
put asunder (Matthew 19:6). How many times have you read that Scripture and took “man” to mean “adult?” What
about the children? As master manipulators, the children in a stepfamily can wreak more havoc in a marriage than
a tsunami reaching landfall. Consider the tactics that your biological children use to “get over” on you. They will tell
half-truths to make you believe the other parent granted permission for a sleep over, insist that they did not have
any homework and even forge your name on a letter from their teacher. Now let’s complicate those actions by
adding a rebellious stepchild, an angry custodial parent, a complacent non-custodial parent and a disillusioned
stepparent. The end result can be devastating.
Don't Just Survive - Thrive! Seven Tips for Stepfamilies
March 2007 Featured with Tavis Smiley
Excerpt: With divorce, single-parent households and family crises on the rise, many people are experiencing the
tumultuous dynamics of blended or stepfamilies. National statistics indicate that the divorce rate for first marriages
is fifty percent. That rate increases to more than sixty percent for second marriages due in part to the unique
issues associated with raising non-biological children. To ensure successful blending of your family, consider the
following tips:
Copyright © 2006-2007 by Valerie Coleman
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