by Gayla | Mar 7, 2013 | attitude, Blog, conflict, expectations, patience, Stepfamily Vacations
Throwing family members together for an extended period of time can wreak havoc on even the most stable family. For a fragile stepfamily, it can be a recipe for disaster. So if you’re headed out for an adventure with your stepfamily, take along a few tools to...
by Gayla | Feb 25, 2013 | attitude, Blog, character, Faith, love, successful stepparenting
The early morning text surprised me. I don’t hear from my young adult stepson a lot but sensed he needed to talk based on what I read. I picked up the phone and engaged in a lengthy conversation with him regarding his year-long relationship with his girlfriend....
by Gayla | Jan 30, 2013 | attitude, Balance, Blog, conflict, Grace, stepfamily relationships, Uncategorized
It’s easy to think we must be perfect in our stepfamily interactions and make huge steps every day to strengthen our relationships. But that isn’t true. Small steps on a regular basis can result in huge dividends with your stepfamily. Here are ten easy...
by Gayla | Jan 22, 2013 | Blog, expectations, hope, patience, stepfamily relationships, stepmother role, Uncategorized
As I listened to my husband on the other end of the phone with his daughter, I knew something bad had happened. He handed the phone to me and said, “She wants to talk to you.” Through tears, my stepdaughter, Adrianne, relayed that her boyfriend of six...
by Gayla | Jan 16, 2013 | acceptance, Blog, Change, conflict, stepfamily relationships
I was recently talking to a stepmom who’s struggling in her role with her stepdaughter. In hearing some history of the relationship, I could see the normal progression that often happens in stepfamilies with various stages of integration. How a stepfamily...