Foster care & adoption present difficult issues with similarities to stepfamilies. How do you help a child cope with ambiguous loss or connect as a parent when children act out from prior wounds? Listen to Ron Deal’s conversation with Jenni Lord for help.

Laura Husband, daughter of Columbia astronaut Rick Husband, was 12 years old when she endured her dad’s very public death. Laura shares with Ron Deal her layers of grief that followed and her experience growing up blended after her mom’s remarriage.

Got a strained family relationship? Maybe it’s time you wrote them a tribute.

Dave and Ann Wilson welcome Scott Kedersha, author and marriage pastor, and Ron Deal to the show. They explore how Scott’s early experiences of grief and family disruption shaped his approach to marriage and parenting.

You may have heard of Gottman’s ‘4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse.’ But what is the precursor to these? Ron and Nan Deal connect biblical trust with modern research.

Who comes first in a marriage? And how to communicate it well? Hear fromRead More »

What’s it like for a child when their parent remarries? Explore the unique losses of kids in blended families with Ron Deal and Rod & Rachel Faulkner Brown.

Remarriage after loss is never easy. Rachel Faulkner Brown was widowed twice before marrying Rod. Listen in to their conversation with Ron Deal.

A stepdad can be a powerful influence in the life of a child. But not if he isn’t trusted.

Okay, I’m talking to the kids today. Have you ever noticed that sometimes when we’re sad on the inside, we act grumpy on the outside?

Because we parents love our kids, we are vigilant to protect them from harm. What’s sobering though, is all the things we can’t control.

Okay, if you have any relationships, anybody you care about, I want to give you a principle that will strengthen those relationships. Are you listening?

Compared to other siblings stepsiblings have less conflict. That may not be as good as it sounds.