Blending families is tough. And every situation is different. It’s no wonder the success statistics for second marriages are so grim. But there’s hope. As the saying goes, “knowledge is power” and these days it’s easier to access information to help a blended family survive and thrive.
One such source of information is the book Blended Family Advice: A Step-By-Step Guide to Help Blended And Step Families Become Strong and Successful by Shirley Cress-Dudley. Shirley is a licensed counselor with a master’s degree in Family Studies and another in Education. More importantly, she’s a member of a blended family.
In her book, Shirley relates her own struggles as she and her husband combined households. She includes questions and answers regarding common issues. She tackles topics such as budgeting, family structure, holidays/traditions and communication. There’s even a short section for grandparents (yay!!).
One of my favorite aspects of this book is that it doubles as a workbook for couples. Each chapter includes some questions/topics for discussion on an individual family basis or in a group setting.
While it’s impossible to give all the answers, Blended Family Advice is an easy-to-read tool that can help any blended family start off on the right foot. I’d recommend it for busy non-divorce nerds and anyone who leads workshops devoted to this topic.
Excellent information! While I’m not yet in that boat, God knows I don’t have all of the answers.
Another to add to the reading list…!
I agree. Shirley’s book is wonderful. It’s easy to read and is a great reference. It is a great book study for a couple or multiple couples who want to get together and discuss and learn strategies to make their stepfamily successful.
Great book. Great post. Thanks.