Customer Reviews

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Stepparenting

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have been a step-parent to two wonderful children for almost two years. I recieved this book for xmas, I never would have bought it had I looked at any one page. The book reads like someone took 100 post it notes with tidbits of info on them and threw them together to create a book. Unfortunatley the information (if it can so be called) is nothing more then a bunch of questions and the author saying how difficult living with a stepchild will be, she says it over and over and over.... The book is set up with a small paragraph with an idea or a question followed by "see more on this in chapter 9 or 14" etc. It is not only not informative but it a very annoying book to read. I can sum this entire book up in one sentence "Raising or Living with a step child/stepchildren is not easy, it is going to be stressful and challenging (see more on this at the beginning of my review)" There I just saved you 20 dollars, now find a different book to buy.

This funny, informative, and well-organized book will take you from the dating stage on up the stepparenting ladder. It helped quiet a LOT of my fears early on, and brought up many subjects for discussion. This book is exactly what I needed when I was starting out. Touches just about every subject, not always in great detail, but has a long list of resources.

This funny, informative, and well-organized book will take you from the dating stage on up the stepparenting ladder. It helped quiet a LOT of my fears early on, and brought up many subjects for discussion. This book is exactly what I needed when I was starting out. Touches just about every subject, not always in great detail, but has a long list of resources.

I have specialized in providing professional education and therapy to divorced, courting, and re/wedded couples since 1981. I am (a) 66, (b) a stepgrandson, stepson, and ex-stepfather and stepbrother, (c) an invited Board member of the Stepfamily Association of America, (d) a contributing editor to 'Your Stepfamily Online,' and (e) the author of six personal-growth and family-relations books.

I recommend "the ... Idiot's Guide to Stepparenting" to readers who want a "feel" and comprehensive reference book for - *surface* aspects of the challenging role of stepparent. I do not recommend this book to any student, co-parent, or family professional seeking the core requisites for succeeding at
this difficult family role.

Author, mother, and stepmother Erika Lutz is not a clinician. Like most authors in this genre, she misses four core hazards that (I believe) every stepfamily co-parent and supporter needs to know:

1) why and how to assess and reduce partners' psychological wounds from childhood neglect;

2) the origin and impacts of blocked grief in adults and kids, and how to spot and reduce it;

3) co-parent unawareness of five key topics: (a) normal personality information, composition, and function, (b) high-nurturance families and relationships, (c) effective communication skills, (d) healthy 3-level grief, and (e) stepfamily realities and norms. and...

4) little effective re/marital and co-parenting help (i.e. courtship coaching, classes, informed counseling, co-parent support groups) available in most communities and the media.

In my experience, these factors will often block typical mature, motivated, loving partners from following well-meant advice as in this book. The factors promote choosing the wrong people to re/wed, for the wrong reasons, at the wrong time - and subsequent stresses. Awareness, acceptance, and discussion of these factors can reduce three of the factors and their toxic impacts!

I give the third star to Lutz for the commendable scope of her book, and providing a useful index.

[...]

This book is so insightful! It covers almost every possible scenario that a stepparent could face so that it can prepare you for what's ahead from the first meeting to to managing a successful family. I love that it realistically explains what is normal and acceptable because real life is definitely nothing like the Brady Bunch. My expectations have changed now that I have read this book, and there is less pressure on my entire family thanks to Ericka Lutz. I wish I could thank her for holding my hand and helping me through all this!

My husband and I reviewed this book together and we both found it to be extremely helpful. My husband has 2 children from a previous relationship and we get along, but I have some feelings of being left out. This book put into perspective for both of us that my feelings are real and it helped us find solutions for the problem. Highly recommend for both new step parents and existing step parents

This was not a very informative book. I thought there were a lot of good ideas and a lot of different concepts brought out in it, however the author did not go into very much detail on any of the subjects. I thought it was also a little disorganized, the author seemed to delight in making the reader skip from section to section. I would keep looking for another book, this one is a definite one star.

This was the first stepparenting book I bought before marrying a man with children, and it's good as an introduction, but that's about it. If you're already a stepparent you probably already know everything in this book. It also takes a from-the-kids viewpoint, which isn't as helpful as books like The Enlighted Stepmother.

While reading this book, I was thinking whether anyone about to engage in such a serious thing as stepparenting (or, worse, already engaged in it) would have something to learn from this book. It appeared to me that this book would only be useful to those who never sat down to think. The task of being a stepparent is not to be taken lightly, since there are children's lives involved, but I think that the pessimism in this book can stir up negative emotions which can actually harm a stepfamily. Having said all that, sure, there may be a thing to learn or two, especially about some practical issues. I think there must be much better stuff to read out there.