Blended - Navigating The Blended Family Experience

Step Parenting - Being "The Other"

Battling the idea of being "the other" isn't a foreign experience to the step-parent. Feeling like an outsider looking in, and confusion concerning our roles, are just a couple of the obstacles we face that only affirm this very challenging narrative. However, as challenging as this mental foothold may be, it is possible to fulfill our role as a partner and parent with excellence despite any circumstance that may attempt to suggest otherwise!

Step Parenting - Do Your Homework

As a step-parent hopeful or someone dating a single parent, it's necessary that we do our homework and find out if we fit for them, and they for us. Much is at stake when we enter into this process so answering those big picture questions should be a must before moving forward.

The Weight of Opportunity

The impact that we have as parents is incredible! Whether that impact will be for their good, or to their detriment, depends on what we do with the opportunities that we're given every day.

Handling Insecurity

Count The Cost Pt. 2: Assert Your Value

If you don't assert your value, then your value will be assigned. Before engaging in another dating relationship, single parents should allow significant time to heal, learn from mistakes, be attentive to child(ren), and re-establish their value. Tools that can be used to assert value: 1. Behavior: Actions identify values. 2. Communication: Clarity concerning what the expectation is and what won't be accepted. 3. Progressive Work: Being in pursuit of something and heading in a specific direction...

Count The Cost

Counting the cost is the process of honestly and unselfishly gauging whether someone is willing and able to pursue a relationship with the intent to create a healthy, functional blended family. A single parent cannot perfectly determine whether someone is entirely prepared for that commitment and ready to do the work to make it work over time. However, there are some indicators that could provide clarity concerning readiness: 1. Behavior - actions and daily conduct over time 2. Communication - a...

Departing From The Ex - w/Margo Wallace

Ending a relationship with your child's mother/father is one of the most difficult decisions that someone will ever make. Even if that relationship is full of abuse and dysfunction. This was the decision that Margo had to make for her sake, and the sake of her young daughter. When to know enough is enough. Figuring out how to follow through with your conviction; and then facing the reality of how you got here, are all things that she had to face.

Know Your Role

It's essential that we identify, assume, and function within a specified role. We need a standard to operate from! It is our job to hold ourselves accountable and we should invite those within our family to hold us accountable to that expectation as well. Upon realizing where we are needed, we can then determine how to be most effective!

The State of the Family

The health of the family unit is trending in the wrong direction, and blended families are even worse off. Marriage (the pinnacle of human relationship) - 50% of marriages end in divorce - 75% of divorcees remarry (60% of those marriages end in divorce - the percentage increases with more marriages) Marriage has been diluted and it is affecting all levels of relationship: - Friendships: underestimating the power of influence - Dating: Tends to be driven by sex, status and satisfaction - Authorit...

What is family?

'What is family?' Families need to answer this question to establish a strong foundation and direction for each individual and the family as a whole. Society is a reflection of the condition of its families: - Family impacts those within the family - Those within the family impact people in their circles - People in the circles impact their own families and circles make up the community - The collection of communities is what makes up society Dr. Myles Munroe message: https://www.youtube.com/wat...

Intro To 'Blended'

Intro to Jeremiah Born in Chicago / Raised in San Diego / 31yrs old Interests: Jesus / Seeing people become their best Why Blended Exists: - Personal experience within my blended family and the lack of existent information/support available - Both the good and the bad stories that come about as a result of the blended family dynamic Goal Of The Podcast: - To see blended families thriving - Providing support, information and encouragement for anyone navigating the blended family - 25 to 30 minute...