At Christmas, decisions for an adult child of divorce become especially difficult, with both parents vying for your loyalty and attention.

Even though the legal rights of a stepparent over his or her stepchildren is limited, love is not limited.

Healthy leadership coalitions bolster the influence of the leaders in businesses and in families. When parents align to support each other, they lead from a position of unity. In blended…

Whether you realize it or not, your stepfamily has likely assumed a specific integration style. By that, I mean a set of assumptions about how your stepfamily ‘ought’ to come…

“Should we have a baby together?” It’s an interesting question from stepfamily couples and I’m always taken aback by it.  Couples on their first marriage never ask me that question!…

David’s new marriage was on the verge of failure. It wasn’t that he didn’t love his wife; they just could not agree on how much responsibility their children should have….

I’ve had the privilege of traveling to Africa a few times in my life. The rules of the road and expectations of other drivers are not like those in the…

It was late in 2007 when I knew that something was not right in my marriage. My wife was very distant and didn’t want to talk about our problems. She…

Growing up, my parents provided for my brothers and me whatever they could, but money wasn’t always available. Yet they gave me something far greater than the expensive trappings of…

I’ve been a therapist working with stepfamilies for over two decades, and I often can’t get couples to understand one simple truth: Stepfamilies are different from biological families. Many couples…

Did you ever play the game Lock Out on your school playground? The game begins when kids form a circle by interlocking arms. Then one person on the outside attempts…

Corporations have strategy meetings on a regular basis. Department heads, supervisors, and managers get together to discuss current production goals, sales reports, and marketing efforts. The purpose behind such meetings…

Many couples travel to the “foreign country” of stepfamily living with little or no preparation.

Life seems to tuck us into categories. Are you young or old? Republican or Democrat? From the South or North? A student or a graduate? Employed or unemployed? The list…

Have you ever noticed that God uses family life to teach us important spiritual lessons?  For example, He uses the childhood experience of being disciplined by our parents to teach…

Graduation is a time when many high school and college students, along with their families, experience the reward of hard work and dedication. In addition to the celebration, graduation creates…

If there is one day of the year that can trigger elation or sadness for a stepmom, it’s usually Mother’s Day. And while stepfathers often find Father’s Day awkward, children…

The normal stress of the holidays is multiplied for stepfamilies.