As a step and biological Mom, and the author of a book on stepfamilies which included not only my own experience, but research with stepfamily authorities and other stepfamilies, I am aware, all too often, of the high rate of divorce among these families.
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The Stepfamily Challenge
As a step and biological Mom, and the author of a book on stepfamilies which included not only my own experience, but research with stepfamily authorities and other stepfamilies, I am aware, all too often, of the high rate of divorce among these families.
Relieve Blended Family Parental Stress
Remarried Couples Need to Make Frequent Use of THIS
You’re the proud co-parent of a blended family. Do you find yourself asking where the rewards are?
Not every day is a headache. Like any child-rearing experience, whether it’s for biological, adopted or blended, it’s all the same: some days are good, others you wonder why you ever got out of bed.
Raising kids is stressful, and anyone with a child or stepchild can relate to that.
When you blend a family, the challenges can be even greater. Different rules, different ways of doing things, and emotional ups and downs can all lead to the perfect environment for clashes.
And the remarried couple in all of this? They often find themselves running just to keep up, let alone find balance and time for themselves.
But it’s imperative that remarried couples make time for each other in all of this—something that all parents struggle with. But considering that divorce rates are higher for second marriages, it would seem all the more reason for taking time to nurture your relationship.
After all, a blended family does present unique challenges in that, often, there are also ex-spouses that may or may not be supportive of your new union, and this can add another layer of stress onto a situation that already has the makings for a fine drama.
So what’s the remarried couple to do to alleviate some of their stress?
Make use of this stress-reducing strategy: have frequent date nights.
Just because you get remarried doesn’t mean you both needed to put away your party clothes and dancing shoes. Think of couples when they’re dating: they spend time together, usually alone, doing activities and getting to know each other.
In addition, they are forging a bond through the sharing of experiences, which serves to pull them closer together.
Remarrieds need to remember to continue that tradition. One of the things that often drives married couples apart, whether first-time or remarried, is they simply grow apart. Growing apart happens when you don’t invest the time in each other and get caught up with just trying to keep the family going.
You don’t have to do extravagant dates. It could be as simple as picking one activity to do each week as a couple, whether that’s taking a long walk together or meeting up midday for a coffee date.
Before you step away from this article, call your significant other right now and ask them out on a date—for this week. Tell them it’s your new stress-relieving strategy.
Let us know…
On a scale of 1 to 10, how stressful would you rate having a blended family to be, with 1 being no stress and 10 more stress than the President has on his hands?
As a remarried person, do you feel that dating is important for your relationship to thrive?
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