Being in a blended family can be difficult when it comes to scheduling. There are so many different things to consider, so many variations of what can be planned and what cannot be planned and several different people to think about when making scheduled plans. So what do you do when a scheduling conflict occurs?
Communication
Communicating with all parties of interest is a key ingredient to effective parenting within a blended family. There are several parents that are involved and should be involved in the decision making process. Discussing situations that are conflicting can help warrant a quick resolution, rather than ignoring the problem and hoping it will disappear. Often when another parent is approached with a conflict, they might be able to provide a solution that will work for everyone. It is also important to make the child aware of any conflicts with the scheduling so he or she can make an informed decision to.
Flexibility
Flexibility is a must, as is including a parent that might not have been included otherwise. There will more than likely need to be compromises made in many scheduling conflicts. Perhaps another parent might need to attend something, allowing the other parent the freedom to attend something else. If a time can be changed, it is important to do this, so that there are no hurt feelings or missed appointments or activities.
Compromise
If all else fails and a schedule cannot be changed, there might need to be compromises made. In this case, it might mean that one parent attends the activity or event this time, but the next time the other parent will go. If the scheduling conflict is between the children in the family, the parents will need to step in and decide how to best handle the situation. Teaching children about compromise at an early stage in life will help them succeed in the future.
Scheduling conflict is definitely not reserved just for blended families, however seems to be more prevalent when several adults and children are mixed into one larger family.
How do you deal with scheduling conflicts in your family?
Nicole Humphrey writes about the creative and memory preserving side of life and families in the Scrapbooking Blog and Fun Blog, provides helpful hints to blended families and single parents on the Parents Blog, and provides informative tips and advice for students, teachers and parents on the Education Blog. She also guest blogs on a variety of topics. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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