Remarried with Children: Ten Secrets for Successfully Blending and Extending Your Family

by Barbara LeBey

It's the most daunting task many parents will ever bringing two growing families together into one brand new marriage. But even though statistics show that most remarriages are at high risk--especially when there are kids involved--more and more people are learning how to make them work and more and more kids are coming out of them with their psyches and souls intact. This honest and hopeful book looks at those successes--and at some failures--to show what they have in ten essential secrets that are at the heart of a healthy blended family.

As a stepparent with six children in a blended family, Barbara LeBey draws on her own family's hard-won success, as well as on extensive interviews and new research to show how to navigate the stresses, sticking points, pitfalls and perils most couples don't even anticipate. Starting with her first controversial secret--that the new marriage comes first, even before the demands of the children--LeBey debunks prevalent stepfamily myths and anticipates common traps. (Among them, money issues, warring stepsiblings, and destructive exes.) A strong advocate for children (including how to guard against fade-out parenting), she also suggests ways that in-laws, schools, and the legal system itself could provide better support for blended families. REmarried with Children is an expert, compassionate, down-to-earth book to turn to over and over again for advice, support and sanity.

Key topics include how

-Meet your children's and stepchildren's needs--without letting them undermine your new marriage

-Understand the new roles, new rules, and the new relationships for children and stepchildren of a blended family

-Deal with angry and/or manipulative exes--without adding fuel to the fire

-Handle key decisions about finances, religion, traditions, behavior and discipline

-Maintain healthy relationships with your children's grandparents--and other relatives--from a previous marriage

-Recognize warning signs of trouble ahead--and get the help you need

Genres: Parenting

318 pages, Paperback

First published September 28, 2004

Reviews

[Becki]

This is probably the last book of its kind I�m going to read for awhile. Not that it was bad; in fact, it was really pretty good. I�m just ready for a break.\nWhat interested me most was that Barbara LeBey is not just a step-mother but is also a lawyer and former judge. Yet doesn�t back down when talking about how messed up our court systems are when it comes to custody, child support, and step-families.\nThe book contains a lot of practical advice interspersed with real-life vignettes.\nProbably one of the best books I�ve read on the topic.\nAnd I�m still working on changing what I can and accepting what I can�t change. :)\n

[Jenneffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lebey offers a unique perspective, coming from the legal profession, and from her own familial experience. There are some great tips offered here, but more importantly, to be thankful for how complicated my situation is actually NOT. There are many scenarios and stories of other actual families who have a very difficult time with their complicated lives.

[Feka Angge Pramita]

baru beli... bellum sempet dibaca. tapi sekilas ... melihat bagaimana mengawinkan 2 keluarga khususnya anak-anak dari masing-masing pasangan yang baru saja menikah kembali... good one.... NAnti dikasih lagi review nya.

[♥ris♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! If both everyone in a blended family applied these 10 secrets amongst their household, the relationships with not only be stronger, but you and your partner will be just that in every sense of the word-PARTNERS...but both must read the book

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has some great pointers, but I do wish there was a book out there for those getting nci lived with people with adult kids, if either has special needs, or if we don't want to legally marry again (gasp in horror

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing! Gives great advice on many real life obstacles!!

[TediyraBH]

0553382004