One Family, Two Family, New Family: Stories and Advice for Stepfamilies [Paperback]

Lisa Cohn (Author), William Merkel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2004

The authors capture the essence of the stepfamily experience. Through examples of crisis and heartfelt moments of joy, the authors offer narrative that helps lend understanding to the emotional minefield of stepfamily life. They share their perspectives, permitting you to read the thought bubbles of all involved. If you are in a blended family or are considering creating one, Cohn and Merkel present must-read insights.

Editorial Reviews

Review

""Clearly committed to each other and to their children, Cohn and Merkel write a heartwarming story about their transition from single parenting to successful stepfamily living."

From the Author

A 2004 Gold National Parenting Publications Award winner, "One Family, Two Family, New Family: Stories and Advice For Stepfamilies" is for dating single parents, stepparents and befuddled relatives of stepfamilies. Writer Lisa Cohn and Ph.D. psychologist Bill Merkel relate how they survived their first years together as a stepfamily, the most difficult time for stepfamilies, experts say. Weaving in stories from three other families, Cohn and Merkel discuss how they chose to unite their hearts and households, but keep their refrigerators and checkbooks separate. They tell how they and other families came to accept difficult children, learned to get along with ex-spouses, and abandoned fantasies about loving all children equally. The book follows four couples as they move from single parenthood to stepparenthood, and includes practice advice from psychologist Merkel each step along the way.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: Riverwood Books (October 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883991749
• ISBN-13: 978-1883991746
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,863,639 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lisa Cohn is an award-winning author and freelance writer.

Her work has appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, Mothering, Parenting, Brain, Child: The Magazine For Thinking Mothers, Business Week, Alaska Airlines Magazine, Mother Earth News, Natural Home, Open Spaces, Your Stepfamily and other publications. Lisa is co-author of The Step-tween Survival Guide, published by Free Spirit, which made the Voice of Youth Advocate's (VOYA) annual Nonfiction Honor List, and was a finalist for the ForeWord Book of the Year in the Juvenile Nonfiction category.

She is also co-author of One Family, Two Family, New Family: Stories And Advice For Stepfamilies, a 2004 Gold National Parenting Publications Award winner. To learn more, please visit http://stepfamilyadvice.wordpress.com.

Lisa is co-founder, along with her brother--sports psychology expert Patrick Cohn, Ph.D.--of The Ultimate Sports Parent (www.youthsportspsychology.com). Lisa and Patrick are co-authors of "The Ultimate Sports Parent: A 14-Day Plan for Kids' Success in Sports." Lisa hosts a popular sports parenting podcast, "Ultimate Sports Parent Radio."

As an author, Lisa has been quoted by the Associated Press, Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor and Seattle Times and has appeared on ABC Radio Network's "Satellite Sisters" and many nationally syndicated radio shows.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, April 1, 2005

By 

dutchezz (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Family, Two Family, New Family: Stories and Advice for Stepfamilies (Paperback)

I read great reviews about this book but found it very disappointing. There were many opportunities for the Dr. to offer more practical advice but it was often overshadowed by Lisa's unnecessary fantasy details. There were many issues with this family that the book glossed over, particularly along the lines of the Dr. not wanting to tell others about Lisa's pregnancy out of fear of upsetting his daughter. Also there was the issue of the bond between Lisa and her son that was never really addressed. In many ways it seems as if they learned how not to tackle the issues (i.e. Lisa and the Dr. sleeping on seperate floors so their children could maintain a sense of the exclusivity of their previous lives without the blended family) but to mitigate them through avoidance. I was frustrated with the intimate details of what kind of outfit the baby wore or how many plates were set for Christmas dinner. The new baby that was created between them seemed to have been created as a business arrangement in some ways.

Not quite what I was looking for and disappointing since so many swear by this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Emotion-packed, Helpful and Hopeful!, October 29, 2004

By 

Patricia J. Johnstone (Denver, Col) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Family, Two Family, New Family: Stories and Advice for Stepfamilies (Paperback)

In an engaging style, the authors give readers an emotion-packed and often humorous tale of how they formed their stepfamily. They provide "hers" and "his" points of view that will provide stepparents, single parents and anyone interested in stepfamilies a real-life view of the stepfamily adventure, complete with all its messiness, confusion, stress, laughter and love. They include touching stories from other families and advice from Dr. Merkel about topics ranging from dating as single parents to dealing with rejecting stepchildren. This book is not only a helpful and hopeful book about creating a stepfamily; it's a nice story with loveable, real-life characters!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for all stepfamilies, November 28, 2004

By 

James Brook (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Family, Two Family, New Family: Stories and Advice for Stepfamilies (Paperback)

I am the stepfather of three kids, and I read this book at the advice of my wife when we were having trouble with my kids and her kids... and the relationship between them... and reading Cohn's book really helped me understand some of the things that were going on with them and how I should react to them. Reading it helped me figure things out that I never would have if I hadn't. Definately a must-read for all stepfamilies.