blended families | The Grit and Grace Project

5 Ways Blended Families Can Be Happy and Healthy

I didn’t set out to be a “stepmother;” I never thought I would have a “second” husband. The words, “divorce,” “single mom,” “stepparent,” and “blended family” were used to describe others’ lives, but not my own. But when a husband decides he would rather be with another, I sign papers. I clean out his closet, place boxes on the porch, and figure out how I will do it on my own, how I will survive this ending, this sadness. And with his leaving, the labels rush in. I’m single, alone. I’m divorced, and it feels like a scarlet letter, and everyone knows my shame. My wounded heart bleeds, and I wonder if it will ever recover. Hearts do heal, and soon mine […]

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This Grit & Grace Life Podcast Preview – Episode 50 A Therapist’s Practical Advice for Blended Families with Dr. Zoe Shaw

By Our Grit and Grace Life Videos / Relationships

In an age where 50% of marriages end in divorce, it’s not uncommon to see new relationships and blended families develop. But anyone in a blended family will tell you: it’s not always easy! So how do household rules work when there are people from different homes under one roof? What should you expect from an ex (or your spouse’s ex)? When should you involve your kids when you’re pursuing a serious relationship that could lead to marriage? Psychotherapist and relationship coach Dr. Zoe Shaw joins This Grit and Grace Life podcast to answer these questions and more so your blended family can be a balanced one.

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Ask Dr. Zoe – Dealing with Blended Families and Different Household Rules

By Our Grit and Grace Life Videos / Motherhood, Relationships

Being a stepparent and merging two households is a complicated task that’s often marred by disagreement. So how can children in a blended family come to terms with the same set of rules and boundaries? Licensed psychotherapist and relationship coach, Dr. Zoe Shaw, offers tips to ensure that your children, both biological and step, understand that there are specific rules to follow, regardless of what is allowed in the other home. She explains what steps you need to take now to establish uniform respect in your household.

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Ask Dr. Zoe – Dealing with Blended Families and Different Household Rules

By Dr. Zoe / Ask Dr. Zoe

‘A Mom Trying to Figure It Out’ Asked: Blended Family Rules I seem to have a mess of questions lately. Most all revolve around my blended family where children are raised in two households. I would like to know how to thrive not only survive (surviving seems to be the best I can do some days). One of many questions I have is how to handle the things a stepchild (age 9) brings into my home that I am not comfortable with or how I am parenting my biological child (age 3). Specifically, things like violent video games allowed for the stepchild that I don’t allow for my own. I know that as they grow older, there will only be more instances

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A Therapist’s Practical Advice for Blended Families with Dr. Zoe Shaw – 050

By This Grit & Grace Life Podcast / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreSince nearly 50% of new marriages are remarriages, it should come as no surprise that many women are blending families. It doesn’t take long after making those marriage vows to discover combining families can be complicated. It can also be beautiful. How? We brought in our most reliable expert, psychotherapist, and relationship counselor, Dr. Zoe, to share a balanced and a realistic view of how to blend these separate families into one unit with equal parts grit and grace. Darlene (married mom of two adult daughters) and Julie (widowed single mom) ask the often searched for questions that are frequently found at The Grit and Grace Project

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Ask Dr. Zoe – My Blended Family Is Taking Separate Vacations—Should I Be Upset by This?

By Dr. Zoe / Ask Dr. Zoe

‘Tammy’ asked: So I have been married for four years, and between my husband and I, we have six kids whose ages range between 12 and 29. We have not really had any major issues blending our family, just the normal bumps you come across. However, this one has come up that I need some advice on. My husband’s 21-year-old daughter, who lives on her own, asked him to take her and her two younger siblings (the 12 and 17-year-old) on a vacation…just the four of them. I have had some really mixed feelings about this. My husband and I discussed this and we agreed that maybe they just needed some time with him and a weekend trip would be good. Next

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5 Ways My Blended Family Learned to Adapt

By Amanda-Lee Pitzer / Motherhood

“So … I’m going to need to wear those pants of yours tomorrow.” “Um, that doesn’t sound like asking,” her dad interjects. I’m just sitting there, as my stepdaughter and I continue to figure out this whole stepparenting thing. I want to be her cool BFF that she feels comfortable sharing things with … even if that means she shares my closet. I don’t want to correct her when she’s wrong. I’m afraid to speak up, even when I’m frustrated when I have to go hunt my things down in her room (and while I do so I hear my own mother’s voice, “Amanda-Lee, I don’t care if you use my stuff but PUT. IT. BACK!”) Or, as I step in and

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Help for a Blended Family

By The Grit and Grace Team / Relationships

Blending families is hard. If you’re in the middle of it, then you’re well aware of this reality. When two families come together, they bring their own history as well as their own, unique family culture. You’re not simply dealing with two different pasts, but also how each family lived in the past. As a stepmom or stepdad, you are learning new roles. Your children are trying to adjust, and so are you. Several of our writers have gone through exactly what you are facing, which we hope will serve as a comfort and hopeful reference guide. We also have professional advice from licensed therapists and relationship experts to help you in this journey. Be encouraged; you are not alone. You too

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How to Thrive as a Blended Family With Dr. Zoe Shaw – 131

By This Grit & Grace Life Podcast / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More Families are together a LOT these days, and this can be challenging! But blended families? They are facing unique struggles. With this in mind, we invited licensed therapist and relationship expert, Dr. Zoe Shaw, back to share some practical success strategies for blending families. Even if this isn’t your family dynamic, these are insights we all can use, especially now. Co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Graham ask a lot of questions but do even more listening as Dr. Zoe discusses jealousy, healthy boundaries, comparison, and house rules. Listen in and share these helpful tips with another grit and grace mama today! Viewing in an app? Full

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My Big ‘Ole Beautiful Blended Family

By Teresa Christian / Relationships

Once upon a time, a lady met this fellow. She had three kids (two girls and a boy). He had three kids (two boys and a girl). She was divorced; he was widowed. Her kids were all younger than his. The woman and man married and bought a house with five bedrooms and a large yard. Life was never going to be the same for this bunch—a blended family who had all experienced a lot of life already, but were about to begin a new adventure with many twists and turns and ups and downs. The woman is my stepmom, and the man was my father. Over the years, people who knew our story often referred to us as the “Brady Bunch” because

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