The Stepfamily Handbook

About this book

You've met someone!!! And they have a kiddo (or a few) and you're wondering what that's going to mean for your relationship. Or perhaps, you're the one with a kiddo (or a few), and you want to be sure you get this part right for both your dating partner and your child. "The Stepfamily Handbook: From Dating to Getting Serious to Forming a 'Blended Family'" provides essential guidance to parents who are dating and to those who are dating a parent. From those very first dates to including the kids to progressing to that big, important step of living together - this book is for you!Here's what you'll learn: When and how to introduce children to a dating partner - and some critical do's and don'ts when you meet the kids. (We'll offer a few key considerations to set you up for success.) How to increase the amount of time spent all together with children - without turning the fun into a stress-mess. (What? That's tricky? Read on...you'll discover why kiddos don't always jump on a parent's dating train - and what to do about it.) A roadmap through what we call the "Five Stepfamily Challenges." These challenges will likely start surfacing long before you're thinking about living together. They'll grow in intensity as your relationship gets more serious. (Trust us: You'll want these practical, proven tips to meet each challenge as they show up.) Developmentally specific pointers for ushering children through the struggles of sharing a parent's attention with another adult (and perhaps other children). Research-based information on best practices for parenting, stepparenting and discipline as time together increases and you find you have really different ideas about what to do when the children act ... like children. Valuable tips for maintaining a cordial relationship with a permanent player in your relationship - the co-parent (ex-spouse) - the children's other parent. (Like it or not, this important person will have an impact on your dating relationship pretty much from the start. You'll definitely want to get this part right.) A solid set of tried-and-true communication skills to help you constructively navigate the inevitable bumps and glitches once kids are involved in your dating relationship. (Key: You'll find that as you enter this new relationship phase - adding the kids - you'll likely face a surprising amount of complexity and conflict!)