I was reading a book the other day, “Between Two Homes – A Coparenting Handbook” by Bradley S. Craig, specifically chapter three which talks about the obstacles to establishing a successful cooperative, post separation parental relationship. Of the eight obstacles Bradley Craig talks about, there was one in particular that I think is also a […]
Call it what you will – a team, peeps, clan, kinfolk, your tribe. Most everyone has one. The group of ‘A-lister’ individuals you surround yourself with and can turn to whenever the occasion calls – and sometimes even when it doesn’t, just because they are a swell group of people who you like being around […]
The middle is not typically a place where any of us chooses to be. Think about flying, most of us prefer and are even willing to pay extra for the aisle or window seat on a plane. Depending on what we are queuing for, we tend to push to be at the front of the […]
Becoming a stepparent can be daunting. Figuring out your role as a stepparent — aside from the day-to-day responsibilities that come with it —may lead to confusion, uncertainty or even conflict between you and your partner, your partner’s Ex, and the kids. There is a lot of information and advice out there to help you […]
We all want to think (and hope) that once we have found our king or queen, happily ever after and a blissful family will automatically follow. But if you have ever experienced heartbreak and divorce you know the reality is that happy families (and healthy relationships) don’t just happen because we fall in love. They […]
Respect is considered a critical element in any successful relationship. It also goes a long way towards developing a harmonious home. Certainly within stepfamilies the word “respect” is regularly used – you know that old chestnut “you don’t have to love or even like your mum’s/dad’s partner but you do need to be polite and show […]
Now we all have different needs for space, physical and emotional. As we go about our daily life, different spaces (and states) help us to carry out the task in hand or to recover from them. Emotional spaces can be influenced by the physical spaces we inhabit and vice versa. Our needs for these spaces […]
There is no guide on how to stepparent. No ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ stepparent-style best seller. There’s no wise proverbs, ‘old wives tales’ or oral stories passed down from generation to generation to provide guidance and support to new stepparents about to embark on their stepparenting journey. Soon-to-be stepparents do not get baby […]
Here in Australia and New Zealand the first Sunday in September is Father’s Day and a time to celebrate father’s in all shapes and sizes. So we thought it a good opportunity to focus on stepdads – on those men who, through the simple act of falling in love with a single mum, become a […]
As people who are ex-partners and step-parents, it’s essential to learn how to manage conflict in a healthy way. Meeting anger with hostility (or vice versa) only continues to destroy trust and is also not a good example to set to the children about effective communication, how to manage big emotions or to resolve conflict. […]