Changing the Rules
Kids are really good about buying us tickets for a guilt trip. I mean, guilt is one of the child's best tools to get what they want, right? It can be especially effective in stepfamilies. You've brought a stepparent into their lives and now the rules are changing. If you as the parent feel a little guilty about it the child can capitalize on your guilt. So, what do you do? Well, first strive for unity as a parenting team at all costs and then admit that things have changed but don't give in.
Show Notes
About the Host
About the Guest
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Kids are really good about buying us tickets for a guilt trip. I mean, guilt is one of the child's best tools to get what they want, right? It can be especially effective in stepfamilies. You've brought a stepparent into their lives and now the rules are changing. If you as the parent feel a little guilty about it the child can capitalize on your guilt. So, what do you do? Well, first strive for unity as a parenting team at all costs and then admit that things have changed but don't give in.
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Ron Deal
Ron L. Deal is one of the most widely read and viewed experts on blended families in the country. He is Director of FamilyLife Blended® for FamilyLife®, founder of Smart Stepfamilies™, and the author and Consulting Editor of the Smart Stepfamily Series of books including the bestselling Building Love Together in Blended Families: The 5 Love Languages® and Becoming Stepfamily Smart (with Dr. Gary Chapman), The Smart Stepfamily: 7 Steps to a Healthy Family, and Preparing to Blend. Ron is a licensed marriage and family therapist, popular conference speaker, and host of the FamilyLife Blended podcast. He and his wife, Nan, have three sons and live in Little Rock, Arkansas. Learn more at FamilyLife.com/blended.
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“Mom, you always let me go before. You’re just saying, ‘No’ now because he wants you to.”
