The Blended Family Sourcebook : A Guide to Negotiating Change (Paperback)

~ (Author), Karen O'Connell (Author) "WHETHER IT'S IMMEDIATELY obvious or not, every family is blended..." (more)
Key Phrases: blending families, new family unit, blending process, Blending Families, United States, Census Bureau

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

With more than 50 percent of children living in non-traditional families, the need for a comprehensive resource on the emotional and social ramifications of blended families has never been greater. The Blended Family Sourcebook is an insightful and practical guide for families dealing with the unique challenges of divorce, remarriage, and the process of blending households.

This practical guide takes readers through a step-by-step process for successfully blending families, including a comprehensive list of resources. It addresses the factors that impact the blending process--cultural, socioeconomic, and religious differences--and provides positive, proactive solutions for integrating new family relationships.

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.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (January 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0737303875
• ISBN-13: 978-0737303872
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,080,843 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Guide to the Ever Changing concept of Family, February 3, 2002

By A Customer

This book provides an excellent perspective on what has become an ever growing reality in our society. The cases presented covered a wide range of variations that exist in blending. It made me think about how many people I know and have worked with as an attorney who are a "blended family". I am definitely recommending this book as a must read to all of them.