From the Back Cover
Successfully unite your loved ones into a new family
New configurations and roles in family life happen every day: parents divorce and find new partners, same-sex couples adopt children, parents with children of their own take in an ailing parent. No matter what the scenario, merging divergent households and creating a new family dynamic are a major challenge. Fortunately, the expert guidance in The Blended Family Sourcebook can help you make achieving peace within your own blended family a realistic goal.
This practical guide offers proactive solutions for integrating new family relationships--from the classic stepfamily to gay and lesbian families, adopted and foster families, interracial and interfaith families, grandparents raising grandchildren, and adult children taking in elderly parents. The authors, both experienced psychologists, address the factors that affect the blending process, including cultural, socioeconomic, and religious differences. Case studies based on real-life families illustrate both the pitfalls to avoid and the potential for success. Step by step, you'll learn how to:
- Negotiate and create a family contract with input from all members
- Deal with control issues among stepsiblings
- Establish rules, schedules, and communication styles for your new family unit
- Create consistency among newly created households
- Respect your children's right to space and privacy
This comprehensive reference also provides clear advice on when and where to seek professional help as well as a detailed list of resources and a set of guidelines to help with the blending process. With the strategies in these pages, blended family members can work together to adjust to their new circumstances and become a cohesive family unit.
About the Author
David S. Chedekel, Ed.D., and Karen G. O'Connell, Ph.D., are both practicing psychologists specializing in children and families.
