Blended Family  Today, at least one-third of all children in the United States are expected to live in a stepfamily before they reach age 18. The blended family is becoming more of a norm in our society than an exception. Born of conflict and loss, newfound commitment, and often heart-wrenching transition, stepfamilies face many unique lifestyle adjustments, challeneges, and changes.
Fortunately, most blended families are able to work out their problems and live together successfully, with lives full of love, happiness, and contentment. It does, however, take careful planning, frequent open discussions of feelings and thoughts, positive attitudes, mutual respect, and lots of patience.
To a child who does not belong to one, the term stepfamily may suggest Cinderella's troubled family or the eerily perfect Brady Bunch. Actually, neither situation tells the whole story. In a stepfamily, or blended family, one or both partners have been married before, losing a spouse through divorce or death, and one or both of them have children from their previous marriage(s). They fall in love and decide to remarry, and in turn, form a new, blended family that includes children from one or both of their first households.
In order to successfully blend two families, there are a number of important matters that should be discussed. By dealing with these issues before blending families, you can help keep potential problems from arising.
A second marriage may resurrect old, unresolved anger and hurt from the first one, both for adults and children. For example, a child can no longer hope that his biological parents will reconcile. Or an ex-wife may stir up trouble with her ex-husband when she hears he is about to remarry. The new couple must negotiate a final emotional divorce to clear the way for a fresh start.
Newly remarried couples without children usually use their first months together to build on their relationship. Couples with children, on the other hand, are often more consumed with their own kids than with each other.
 If you are a member of a blended family and would like to improve the quality of the relationships amongst the members of your family, we are here to help. Please contact us today for a free consultation and ask to speak with Kimberley Harris, Ray Robinson, Jennifer Reed, or Chris Berger.
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