The Stepparent's Survival Guide: A Workbook for Creating a Happy Blended Family

In this book a psychologist and stepparent describes what to expect when creating a second family and how to prepare for specific challenges. Issues include overcoming alienation, competition, and defensiveness; disciplining children; and creating new stepfamily traditions. Assessment questions and exercises help readers develop their own family plans rather than adapt to existing models. With 1,300 new stepfamilies made every day, this book helps stepparents successfully assume their new roles and create a cohesive family. Charts and worksheets are included.

A seasoned stepparent and clinical psychologist offers stepparents a viable new alternative: taking control of their new position in the stepfamily and building a solid "family plan." Readers develop a personalized plan for blended family cohesion, and learn how to avoid feeling defensive, competitive, and alienated, build healthy relationships in the crucial first year, discipline the children, deal with the extended family, create new stepfamily traditions, and keep the marriage alive.