Stepparenting Without Guilt (Paperback)

by Maurine Doerken (Author) "RECENT STUDIES SHOW that the loss of a parent by death may actually be less devastating to young people than losing a parent through divorce.1..." (more)
Key Phrases: spoiled brat syndrome, remarriage with children, stepfamily experience, Stepparenting Without Guilt Rule, Bad Mousie, Family Council (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Stepparenting is becoming increasingly important as our society undergoes continuing marital evolution. Today, most Americans are part of a second family than a first. Approximately thirty-five million people now live in stepfamilies with thirteen hundred new ones forming each day.

Stepparenting Without Guilt is designed to give the new and seasoned stepparent an honest appraisal of what today's stepfamily looks like and how it behaves. It dispels the myth that stepfamilies behve like nuclear families, addresses many of the issues that adults and children in stepfamilies face, and outlines what it takes to make a lasting cohesive family unit.

Stepparenting Without Guilt introduces you to:

Different styles of Stepparenting (are you a "superstepparent," or a "rescuer," a "dictator" or "reluctant"?)

Different types of stepchild behavior (Is your stepchild at various times pushy, silent, critical, or a "pest"?)

Different stepfamily emotional minefields (guilt, anger, fear of abandonment, resentment, low self-esteem, grief and loss)

From the Publisher
Twenty-five rules for Stepparenting Without Guilt are given.

Here are just a few:

1 - You cannot take away the pain of the past or pretend it's not real. Recognize and accept stepfamily problems for what they are and know that in most stepfamilies the best way to achieve genuine bonding is to work through the hard times.

4 - You don't have to love your stepchildren (or they you) - you do need to build trust and be fair.

10 - Accept what you can't change (especially with stepsiblings), and work from there.

14 - Realize that stepfamilies may generate a great deal of emotional reactivity because members can hurt in a lot of places.

17 - There is a point where your biological children come first - being firm and realistic about the needs of your own children will help you be a better stepparent as well.

25 - The greatest gift you can give your stepchild (or child) is permission to be happy in both homes.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Blue Dolphin Publishing; Softcover Ed edition (February 7, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577330544
• ISBN-13: 978-1577330547
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,232,703 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Guide To Deal With Your Stepfamily, June 18, 2004

By A Customer

Stepparenting Without Guilt has really helped me to better understand the painful situations that come up in a stepfamilies and how to deal with them in a way that is constructive and loving rather than hostile and combative. Since the author is both a licensed therapist and a stepparent herself, I appreciated this book even more. Not only is there a lot of useful information, but also an emotional understanding about the difficulties of being in a stepfamily that only comes from personal experience.