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Parenting in
Blended Families

Emme Slaght, Molly Becker, Sophie DiVito, Sophie Stephens

"You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them."

Desmond Tutu

Blended Families

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  • Don’t push for respect through fear; build emotional bonds first

  • Keep communication open with your kids about how the family is changing

  • Consider getting a therapist’s help if needed

  • Spend quality time with your step children and find common interests

  • Include your kids in decisions to show their opinions matter

Overall this video emphasizes empathy, patience, and gradual change in blended families. With the goat of creating a strong, loving connection within the family. 

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Blended Families Effect on Children

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS

 

IMPACT OF BLENDED FAMILIES ON CHILDREN'S BEHAVIOR

EFFECTS ON CHILDREN'S ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Holding Hands

How to Help Your Children Adjust

BLENDED FAMILY AND STEP-PARENTING TIPS

The website below provides general information about blended families and how to bond and strengthen your blended family.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES IN BLENDED FAMILIES

This resource from Spence Counseling Center offers multiple ideas for how to overcome challenges in your blended family when difficulties arise.

NATIONAL STEPFAMILY RESOURCE CENTER MODULES

These online trainings offer strategies for parents to help their children thrive when blended family situations can become difficult. 

"Blended Family (What You do for Love)" Music Video

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“Hey I might not really be your mother
That don't mean that I don't really love ya
And even though I married your father
That's not the only reason I'm here for ya”

  • In Alicia’s song, she highlights the love she has for her blended family and creates lyrics that will resonate with parents who have a stepfamily. 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Helping kids with Blended families 

  • This website discusses how blended families are common in todays day and age. The article discusses different ways to manage and help kids that have a blended family. “ Not everyone will get along all of the time, but it is essential to teach and show respect for one another.” 

Blended family podcast 

  • This podcast discusses the point of view from a mom and how to navigate to discussing with a teacher that they have a blended family. The podcast tells what school administrators to speak to, tips and even a sample letter to send the school. 

Communication in blended families 

  • he final article I found discusses how communication is key to a successful school year for blended families. It discusses what things should be communicated for a smooth transition. 

"Becoming a blended family means mixing, mingling, scrambling, and sometimes muddling our way through delicate family issues, complicated relationships, and individual differences, hurts, and fears. But through it all, we are learning to love like a family.”

–Tom Frydenger

European Restaurant

WORKS CITED

Anya, S. (2022, October 11). Why your family isn’t blending | family therapist. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjbyjkHEPGU&t=18s 

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“Blended Families: Communicating for a Better School Year.” Charlotte Parent, 22 August 2014, https://www.charlotteparent.com/blended-families-communicating-for-a-better-school-year/. Accessed 19 September 2023.

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Blended Family and Step-Parenting Tips. (2023, February 24). HelpGuide.org. Retrieved September 19, 2023, from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/parenting-family/step-parenting-blended-families.htm

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Brooke A. Jones, Psy. D. (2017, February 18). Focus Forward Counseling. Blended Families’ Effects on Adolescents. https://focusforwardcc.com/articles/blended-families-effects-on-adolescents/

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“Eight Ways to Help Kids in Blended Families Feel at Home.” Kids in the Middle, https://kidsinthemiddle.org/eight-ways-help-kids-blended-families-feel-home/. Accessed 19 September 2023.

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Harju-Luukkainen, H., Vettenranta, J., Wang, J., & Garvis, S. (2020, March 9). Family related variables effect on later educational outcome: A further geospatial analysis on TIMSS 2015 Finland - large-scale assessments in education. SpringerOpen. https://largescaleassessmentsineducation.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40536-020-00081-2#:~:text=Family%2Drelated%20factors%2C%20like%20parent%27s,mathematical%20and%20early%20literacy%20input

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Nelson, Christina. “School & Blended Families — Radical Stepmoms Podcast.” Radical Stepmoms Podcast, 17 March 2021, https://www.radicalstepmomspodcast.com/blog/schoolandblendedfamilies. Accessed 19 September 2023.

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Online Training: Understanding Stepfamilies. (n.d.). National Stepfamily Resource Center. Retrieved September 19, 2023, from https://www.stepfamilies.info/educational-resources/online-training-understanding-stepfamilies/

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Overcoming Challenges In Blended Families. (n.d.). Spence Counseling Center. Retrieved September 19, 2023, from https://spencecounselingcenter.com/overcoming-challenges-in-blended-families/

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The Australian Parenting Website. (2022, September 15). Children’s feelings in blended families and stepfamilies. Raising Children Network. https://raisingchildren.net.au/grown-ups/family-diversity/blended-families-stepfamilies/feelings-about-blended-families#:~:text=Sadness%2C%20anger%20or%20jealousy,jealous%20of%20your%20partner%27s%20children

 

YouTube. (2016). Alicia Keys - Blended Family (What You Do For Love) (Official Video) ft. A$AP Rocky. YouTube. Retrieved September 26, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbGm5f5PR2o. 

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