I started writing about how blended and step families can wrestle with an “us” and “them” reality when families and people feel there is a division earlier this morning. Instead of feeling like a cohesive family, it can instead end up with people taking sides and there being “old family” and “new family” camps. I do think there are things the adults can do to help to alleviate this–instead of make it worse: First of all, I think the adults must BE adults. This means not making confidants out of the children or saying hurtful things that will make things … Continue reading →

At my house, it is just me and my children, (and a few pets too), but when my children are with their dad, there is a whole other step-family to contend with–another “parent” and a step-brother too. One of the more painful and constant issues my kids are wrestling with now is the feeling of division a their other house. They don’t feel like one cohesive family and it bothers them. Even though I am not living it first-hand, I am often the one that they want to talk things through with… I must first say that I have not … Continue reading →