Synopses & Reviews
A Blueprint for Bringing Together Two FamiliesLiving in a stepfamily is challenging. But a household where yours and mine must become ours can become a harmonious family unit. It is possible to build a stepfamily that works for all of its members—an environment where both adults and children can feel safe, loved, and free to grow and learn.
Written to address the particular challenges that stepfamilies typically confront, this latest addition to the bestselling Positive Discipline series helps you understand the process of stepfamily living and empowers you to make the right decisions. Inside, you will find real solutions that can make your new family a cohesive and happy unit. You'll discover how to:
·Resolve responsibility and role issues
·Blend rules and traditions
·Build effective communication between all family members
·Handle discipline and finances
·Develop respect and affection among rival children
·And much more!
"Anchored in today's family realities, the essence of this book is a respectful approach to stepfamily discipline. The scenarios are grittily realistic and the wealth of positive suggestions ring true. Families are always a work in progress so this book is useful for both seasoned and novice parents and stepparents." —Margorie Engel, Ph.D., president, Stepfamily Association of America
About the Author
Jane Nelsen, Ed.D., is the author and coauthor of numerous books, including the bestselling
Positive Discipline series. A licensed marriage, family, and child therapist, as well as a nationally known public speaker and education specialist, she lives in San Clemente, California.
Cheryl Erwin, M.A., is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Reno, Nevada. A popular speaker who has a weekly radio program on parenting, she is also part of a happy stepfamily.
H. Stephen Glenn, Ph.D., is the coauthor of several Positive Discipline books, including Positive Discipline A-Z and Positive Discipline in the Classroom. A popular educational speaker, he is also the author of Raising Self-Reliant Children in a Self-Indulgent World. He lives in Ashland, Oregon.
Table of Contents
ContentsIntroduction
l. Dispelling the Myths and Fantasies About Stepfamilies2. What Exactly Is a Stepfamily?3. The New Couple: The Foundation of the Stepfamily4. The Couple as Parents: "Who Am I, Anyway?"5. Enter the Children 6. The Ties That Bind: Understanding Loyalty in Your Stepfamily7. Back and Forth: Dealing with Your Child's Other Parent8. Breaking Down the Walls: Feelings and the Art of Communication9. Family Meetings: The Foundation for Respect and Problem Solvingl0. Building Belonging: The Magic of Encouragementll. Getting (and Staying) Connected: Building Strong Relationships with Kidsl2. Understanding Behavior: The Mistaken Goals of Behavior in Your Stepfamilyl3. Discipline in Your Stepfamilyl4. Putting Positive Discipline to Workl5. Yours, Mine, and Ours: Dealing with Money, Houses, and Other Real-Life Issuesl6. Sexuality and the Stepfamily: What You Might Like to Ignore but Probably Should Not17. Tying It All Together: Building a New Family Identity
Selected ReferencesIndexAbout the Authors