Positively Bonnie

3 Top Questions Remarried Couples Should Ask When They Disagree

Wednesday, June 06, 2012
This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Chuck Semich, our advice columnist at RemarriageWorks. Our episode, "Top Secrets of Stepfathers" is one of my favorites because I don't think there are enough resources available for stepdads. During the show, dedicated to all stepfathers in honor of Father's Day, Chuck, a licensed family therapist who specialized in blended family relationships and is both a stepchild and stepfather himself, offered a spot check or inventory that we can ask ourselves when we are arguing...  
I asked Chuck for his best advice on how to make your remarriage succeed. Chuck described the top three questions he has asked himself when he has been in a disagreement:
  1. Is this a matter of life or death? 
  2. Am I part of the problem, or part of the solution?
  3. What's more important - being right, or having a healthy relationship?
If you take a moment and think about these questions the next time you and your spouse are arguing, especially about a blended family issue, you can really change your own perspective, and diffuse your anger or frustration. I've tried it. I haven't succeeded in calming myself down every time, but with practice, it gets better.

I invite you to listen to the podcast, "Top Secrets of Stepfathers" with Chuck Semich, and to check out his stepfamily advice in our advice column. His professional and personal experience, along with his wisdom are really helpful. If you and your spouse are facing problems in your remarriage, consider listening to the podcast together.
Listen to internet radio with Stepmoms Toolbox on Blog Talk Radio


Recent Posts

  • Congratulations to Dr. William Petit on His Remarriage!
  • The New Brady Bunch Reboot With Vince Vaughn
  • Get Inspired by Mrs. Delaware, a Stepmom on August 6
  • Check Out the NARME Conference in Baltimore
  • 3 Top Questions Remarried Couples Should Ask When They Disagree
  • Top Secrets of Stepfathers
  • Why Cheer for the New Mrs. Delaware United States?
  • Mother's Day 2012: My Favorite Picture
  • Top Three Tips for Planning Your Second Wedding from StaceyLu
  • My Show Tonight: Eat, Drink & Remarry with StaceyLu

Tags

exes separation stepfathers Kim Olver divorce professional mediation step-grandparents stepfamily issues RemarriageWorks custody lawyer second time around family law attorney financial problems divorce mediation problems in your remarriage familymoon Journal for Stepmoms stepfamily relationships stepfamily life ex stepfamilies with special needs kids co-parenting plan shared joint custody judge's verdict remarries custody blended family stepfamily with a special needs child divorced Stepmom's Toolbox divorcing NARME United States Blended Family Association United States of America Blended Family Association stepkids mediation stepson's christy borgeld IDEALS of Kentucky carla david design remarried stepdads child support stepdaughter para-kin.com stepmom's separated custody battle step parent stepmotherhood second wedding carl delmont wedding invite remarriage journey marriage education father rights family court late wife's family families wedding invitation wording children second wedding invitations marrying family second honeymoon stepfamily advice blending families stepmoms-to-be blended remarried with kids stepfamily experience Father's Day stepfamily second wedding planning mediators stepfamilies widowed love for grown-ups national stepfamily summit journaling stepchild Justice Harvey Brownstone stepmom alimony stepmothers therapist encore wedding widowhood stepmoms remarriage National Stepfamily Day stepfamily challenges stepfamily counselor stepdad stepsons merging two families fatherhood Stepmoms Toolbox Mother's Day stepparenting step-grandma stepfamily terms second weddings remarrying bride bonus mom family matters post divorce Mrs. Delaware wedding invitations relationships marry stepparents wedding invite wording blending stepfamily support group stepfamily names stepmother Garter Brides blended families stepfamily coach previous marriages blending your credit histories weddings and children joint custody family law judge step family freedmont mortgage after divorce remarrying encore brides encore bridal specialist national stepfamily day foundation Yaffa Balsam spouse second marriages remarrying brides co-parenting DIY wedding invitations stepfamily meeting remarriages stepson second marriage stepparent wedding invitation USABFA stepfather family law court stepfamily counseling encore bridal dress family therapist marriage brady bunch relationship questions stepbrother stepchildren remarriage works Northern Virginia Mediation Service remarry the garter brides Chuck Semich
  • after divorce (1)
  • alimony (1)
  • blended (1)
  • blended families (5)
  • blended family (12)
  • blending families (5)
  • blending your credit histories (1)
  • bonus mom (1)
  • brady bunch (2)
  • carl delmont (1)
  • carla david design (2)
  • child support (2)
  • children (1)
  • christy borgeld (2)
  • Chuck Semich (1)
  • co-parenting (2)
  • co-parenting plan (1)
  • custody (1)
  • custody battle (1)
  • custody lawyer (1)
  • divorce (10)
  • divorce mediation (1)
  • divorced (4)
  • divorcing (2)
  • DIY wedding invitations (1)
  • encore bridal dress (1)
  • encore bridal specialist (1)
  • encore brides (5)
  • encore wedding (6)
  • ex (2)
  • exes (2)
  • families (1)
  • family (1)
  • family court (1)
  • family law attorney (3)
  • family law court (1)
  • family law judge (1)
  • family matters (1)
  • family therapist (1)
  • familymoon (1)
  • father rights (1)
  • fatherhood (1)
  • Father's Day (2)
  • financial problems (1)
  • freedmont mortgage (1)
  • Garter Brides (1)
  • IDEALS of Kentucky (2)
  • joint custody (6)
  • Journal for Stepmoms (4)
  • journaling (2)
  • judge's verdict (1)
  • Justice Harvey Brownstone (1)
  • Kim Olver (1)
  • late wife's family (1)
  • love for grown-ups (1)
  • marriage (4)
  • marriage education (1)
  • marry (1)
  • marrying (1)
  • mediation (3)
  • mediators (1)
  • merging two families (1)
  • Mother's Day (1)
  • Mrs. Delaware (1)
  • NARME (1)
  • National Stepfamily Day (4)
  • national stepfamily day foundation (1)
  • national stepfamily summit (2)
  • Northern Virginia Mediation Service (2)
  • para-kin.com (1)
  • post divorce (1)
  • previous marriages (1)
  • problems in your remarriage (1)
  • professional mediation (1)
  • relationship questions (1)
  • relationships (1)
  • remarriage (26)
  • remarriage journey (4)
  • remarriage works (1)
  • remarriages (4)
  • RemarriageWorks (15)
  • remarried (27)
  • remarried with kids (1)
  • remarries (1)
  • remarry (7)
  • remarrying (8)
  • remarrying bride (2)
  • remarrying brides (4)
  • second honeymoon (1)
  • second marriage (3)
  • second marriages (2)
  • second time around (1)
  • second wedding (12)
  • second wedding invitations (4)
  • second wedding planning (2)
  • second weddings (4)
  • separated (1)
  • separation (1)
  • shared joint custody (1)
  • spouse (1)
  • step family (1)
  • step parent (1)
  • stepbrother (1)
  • stepchild (4)
  • stepchildren (7)
  • stepdad (3)
  • stepdads (3)
  • stepdaughter (1)
  • stepfamilies (19)
  • stepfamilies with special needs kids (1)
  • stepfamily (36)
  • stepfamily advice (1)
  • stepfamily challenges (2)
  • stepfamily coach (1)
  • stepfamily counseling (1)
  • stepfamily counselor (2)
  • stepfamily experience (1)
  • stepfamily issues (1)
  • stepfamily life (4)
  • stepfamily meeting (1)
  • stepfamily names (1)
  • stepfamily relationships (3)
  • stepfamily support group (1)
  • stepfamily terms (1)
  • stepfamily with a special needs child (1)
  • stepfather (1)
  • stepfathers (5)
  • step-grandma (1)
  • step-grandparents (2)
  • stepkids (1)
  • stepmom (13)
  • stepmoms (9)
  • stepmom's (2)
  • Stepmoms Toolbox (1)
  • Stepmom's Toolbox (6)
  • stepmoms-to-be (1)
  • stepmother (4)
  • stepmotherhood (1)
  • stepmothers (7)
  • stepparent (4)
  • stepparenting (6)
  • stepparents (3)
  • stepson (1)
  • stepsons (1)
  • stepson's (1)
  • the garter brides (1)
  • therapist (1)
  • United States Blended Family Association (1)
  • United States of America Blended Family Association (1)
  • USABFA (1)
  • wedding invitation (1)
  • wedding invitation wording (1)
  • wedding invitations (1)
  • wedding invite (1)
  • wedding invite wording blending (1)
  • weddings and children (1)
  • widowed (2)
  • widowhood (4)
  • Yaffa Balsam (1)

Archive

  • August 2012 (1)
  • July 2012 (3)
  • June 2012 (2)
  • May 2012 (4)
  • March 2012 (2)
  • February 2012 (4)
  • January 2012 (3)
  • December 2011 (1)
  • November 2011 (1)
  • October 2011 (2)
  • September 2011 (4)

Tell Us More About Your Second Wedding!

1. How much did you spend on your second wedding?

$0 - 1,000
$1,001 - 5,000
$5,001 - 10,000
$10,001 - 20,000
$20,001 or more

 

Here's What You're Saying

“I find your site extremely helpful and resourceful in dealing with the many and daily issues of parenting, co-parenting and life issues that come along.” –J.P.

“I love the information you all provide. The magazine was so helpful in trying to navigate the remarriage with kids territory. Thank you for all of your information and inspiration you provide.” –K.W.

“Have I mentioned HOW MUCH I love your site?!?!? It's really cool. . . . I'm getting married to a man that has two kiddos, and it's quite a lifestyle change for me!” –M.M.

Win a Copy of
Eat, Drink and Remarry

This is not your mother’s second wedding! Getting married again? Wondering why the planning is harder than you thought it was going to be? Enter to win a copy of Eat, Drink and Remarry by Stacey Tucker!


Tweets from RemarriageWorks!