A hot-tempered man causes arguments but a patient man calms a quarrel Proverbs 15:18 If you truly desire to find peace with your coparent you will need to give up blame and unforgiveness. However, is hard to know what to replace our destructive responses with when attempting to defuse conflict. There is much written on ... Read more ..read more

  Blending a home can be a difficult task. With all the new changes happening and trying to do your best to help your stepchildren feel appreciated and loved, it can get frustrating. According to the Stepfamily Foundation, 50% of the 60 million children under the age of 13 currently live with a biological parent ... Read more ..read more

Problem:  Limitations Experienced by the Legal System Although the legal system is dedicated to assisting families in transition, the Court faces several obstacles.  The system has been limited in their ability to effectively assist high-conflict separating families due to the following factors: Solution:  Parenting Coordination Power Chart:  Peggy Ward, Ph.D.  (1997) Authority Access             Clinical Skills Judge ... Read more ..read more

When a parent attempts to alienate their child from the other parent there are a small number of children who are able to resist the pressure to do so.  Parents who attempt unsuccessfully to alienate their children are being referred to as P.A.B., meaning Parental Alienation Behaviors.  In spite of the on-going efforts the child ... Read more ..read more

You are a single parent and feel ready to start dating.  More than likely, you have a lot of questions such as How long should I wait? When is the right time to introduce my child to someone I am dating? Here you will find some of the recommended guidelines on how best to involve ... Read more ..read more

How Does Separation Impact Your Child’s Future Relationships? Parental separation can affect how a child grows and matures. While the child is at risk for behavioral and academic problems through the formative adolescent and teen years, what about his or her ability to form emotional relationships with others as an adult? Studies have found that ... Read more ..read more

You are thrilled about finding someone to spend your life with and you both have children.  Although this is a positive change in your life, it will have more challenges than you might recognize.  In order to minimize the stress of blending families, you will need to clarify expectations just like any newly married couple.  ... Read more ..read more

While it’s easy to dwell on the negative side effects of divorce, Father’s Day is a time to reflect on positive effects a father has on children of divorce. Fathers are one of the two most important people in a child’s life, so taking Father’s Day to appreciate the impact they have in a child’s life ... Read more ..read more

After reading the two previous blogs, this last one will help you have realistic expectations for the blending of your two families.  Years ago I read article in a step-family magazine that said step-parents should expect the age of the child who has entered into a step-family to double before the children will truly feel ... Read more ..read more