Stepparenting myths have been around a long time, and they can negatively impact stepparents if not understood well. Although there might be some truth to them, the non-truth messages create tension and confusion for us. Ron Deal talks with Gayla Grace about how to sort through the reality and false messages of myths such as: All stepmothers are wicked and all stepfathers are abusive, stepparents can easily take on a high parental role, stepfamilies can behave as traditional families, we will love biological and stepchildren the same, and if you call them "my children," they will like being your children.

Show Notes and Resources
Learn more about the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry.
Get a copy of In Their Shoes for a gift of any amount!
Check out books and resources for Blended Families!
Email us a review or a comment! blended@familylife.com

Stepparenting myths have been around a long time, and they can negatively impact stepparents if not understood well. Although there might be some truth to them, the non-truth messages create tension and confusion for us. Ron Deal talks with Gayla Grace about how to sort through the reality and false messages of myths such as: All stepmothers are wicked and all stepfathers are abusive, stepparents can easily take on a high parental role, stepfamilies can behave as traditional families, we will love biological and stepchildren the same, and if you call them "my children," they will like being your children.
Show Notes and Resources
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/">Learn more about the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry.</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://donate.familylife.com/july-2024/in-their-shoes/?cru_source=2406BP&amp;cru_medium=podcast&amp;cru_campaign=BlendedPodcast">Get a copy of In Their Shoes for a gift of any amount!</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://linktr.ee/familylifeblended">Check out books and resources for Blended Families!</a> </li>
<li>Email us a review or a comment! blended@familylife.com</li>
</ul>

FamilyLife Blended® provides timeless wisdom and practical help and hope for blended families and those who love them. Join Ron L. Deal, LMFT, LPC as he and his guests discuss a wide variety of marriage, family, and relationship topics related to blended families.

Timeless wisdom and practical help and hope for blended families with Ron Deal, LMFT, LPC.

FamilyLife Blended® Podcast

Stepparenting myths can negatively impact stepparents. Ron Deal talks with Gayla Grace about how to cope with common myths like:  all stepmothers are wicked & stepfathers are abusive, stepparents are instant parents, & we love bio &stepchildren the same.

141 Overcoming Stepparenting Myths

https://fl-podcasts.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/FLBP/pdf/FLBp2024-11-04_S06_E150.pdf

Foster care and adoption present difficult dynamics with issues similar to blended families. How do you help a child cope with ambiguous loss or connect as a parent when children act out from prior wounds? The loss that results from separation from a first family carries deep wounds that manifest themselves in misbehavior. Many children can’t verbalize their hurts, and families don’t have access to all the pieces of the puzzle. Love isn’t enough to fix the brokenness in a child, particularly when trauma is part of the story. Listen to Ron Deal's conversation with Jenni Lord for answers to these complex issues.

Show Notes and Resources
Pre- order Ron's new book: The Mindful Marriage: Create Your Best Relationship Through Understanding and Managing Yourself 
Learn more about Jenni and Chosen
Ron's speaking schedule
Get our monthly newsletter
Learn more about blended family resources
Get The Summit on Stepfamily Ministry, All-Access Digital Pass 

Foster care and adoption present difficult dynamics with issues similar to blended families. How do you help a child cope with ambiguous loss or connect as a parent when children act out from prior wounds? The loss that results from separation from a first family carries deep wounds that manifest themselves in misbehavior. Many children can’t verbalize their hurts, and families don’t have access to all the pieces of the puzzle. Love isn’t enough to fix the brokenness in a child, particularly when trauma is part of the story. Listen to Ron Deal's conversation with Jenni Lord for answers to these complex issues.
Show Notes and Resources
<ul>
<li>Pre- order Ron's new book: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mindful-Marriage-Relationship-Understanding-Managing/dp/1546007385/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3JX9CIO7FI8R&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._zTeFbc5iEa4IzknmWPta_zMPma4CnM7hhzBsa16ZlzT2kCWWSjuA4LQRDtIMSBjTaajN552s_F5AuAo7mAz4kdqvcHCdJiT6UGUBYU9JM9h1tOkn21bDavrKGDOIETGSFn7eLgBYMyctMfH2fvLbdVPZPa3CVrLp1OGTCueaxpj1Ao0MnOI7WtjXrq5yD5ygilSh6Urh9d5jWaN9gJrHsNLuoNxfpes-uoEH3U8glE.6Jdb_SUgh9o0yr6dCHCST2rXz4eXyZ4hcqurlFxfXbw&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=the+mindful+marriage&amp;qid=1716395318&amp;sprefix=%2Caps%2C85&amp;sr=8-1">The Mindful Marriage: Create Your Best Relationship Through Understanding and Managing Yourself </a></li>
<li><a href="https://chosen.care/staff/jenni-c-lord/">Learn more about Jenni and Chosen</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://smartstepfamilies.com/events/find-an-event">Ron's speaking schedule</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.familylife.com/familylifeblended/familylife-blended-newsletter/">Get our monthly newsletter</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://linktr.ee/familylifeblended">Learn more about blended family resources</a> </li>
<li>Get The Summit on Stepfamily Ministry, <a href="https://shop.familylife.com/product-category/marriage/blended-family/?filters=format[2800]">All-Access Digital Pass </a></li>
</ul>

Foster care & adoption present difficult issues with similarities to stepfamilies. How do you help a child cope with ambiguous loss or connect as a parent when children act out from prior wounds? Listen to Ron Deal's conversation with Jenni Lord for help.

150 Parenting Foster Kids & Adopted Kids

Laura Husband, daughter of Columbia astronaut Rick Husband, was 12 years old when she endured her dad’s very public death. Laura shares with Ron Deal the layers of grief that followed with the lingering effects and expectations after an astronaut dies. When her mom began dating three years later, she felt abandoned and without a voice to the changes in her life. Her mom later remarried and Laura began an adjustment to blended family life with her new stepdad, Bill. Laura shares the loving relationship she and Bill eventually formed and how Bill chose a path, separate from her dad, that drew her in.

Show Notes and Resources
Get the Summit All-Access Pass
Pre- order Ron's new book: The Mindful Marriage: Create Your Best Relationship Through Understanding and Managing Yourself 
The list of Smart Stepfamily therapists and coaches.
Consider supporting resources for blended families with a tax deductible gift.

Laura Husband, daughter of Columbia astronaut Rick Husband, was 12 years old when she endured her dad’s very public death. Laura shares with Ron Deal the layers of grief that followed with the lingering effects and expectations after an astronaut dies. When her mom began dating three years later, she felt abandoned and without a voice to the changes in her life. Her mom later remarried and Laura began an adjustment to blended family life with her new stepdad, Bill. Laura shares the loving relationship she and Bill eventually formed and how Bill chose a path, separate from her dad, that drew her in.
Show Notes and Resources
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.familylifeallaccess.com/">Get the Summit All-Access Pass</a> </li>
<li>Pre- order Ron's new book: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1546007385?ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_T2CY7VPMYX3J40B2VR06&amp;ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_T2CY7VPMYX3J40B2VR06&amp;social_share=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_T2CY7VPMYX3J40B2VR06&amp;skipTwisterOG=2">The Mindful Marriage: Create Your Best Relationship Through Understanding and Managing Yourself </a></li>
<li><a href="https://smartstepfamilies.com/smart-help/therapy-providers">The list of Smart Stepfamily therapists and coaches.</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://donate.familylife.com/blended/?cru_source=D000BLENDG&amp;cru_medium=DesktopHeaderNav&amp;cru_campaign=Blended">Consider supporting resources for blended families with a tax deductible gift.</a> </li>
</ul>

Laura Husband, daughter of Columbia astronaut Rick Husband, was 12 years old when she endured her dad’s very public death. Laura shares with Ron Deal her layers of grief that followed and her experience growing up blended after her mom’s remarriage.

149 A Special Edition: Growing Up Blended After Parental Loss: Laura Husband

How do you identify narcissism or cope with a narcissist? Ron Deal talks with counselor Laurel Slade-Waggoner about strategies in a relationship when someone seeks to control, manipulate, shift blame, gaslight, or behave in other narcissistic ways.

Show Notes and Resources
Check out Laurel's website and available books.
Laurel's Podcast
Join us for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry!
Ron's comprehensive list of Recognized Smart Stepfamily Therapy Providers
Check out everything FamilyLife Blended has to offer.
Send in a tax deductible gift to the FamilyLife Blended Team.

How do you identify narcissism or cope with a narcissist? Ron Deal talks with counselor Laurel Slade-Waggoner about strategies in a relationship when someone seeks to control, manipulate, shift blame, gaslight, or behave in other narcissistic ways.
Show Notes and Resources
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.slade-waggonercounselingservices.com/shop">Check out Laurel's website and available books.</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/HelpIHaveaNarcissistInMyLifePodcast">Laurel's Podcast</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/">Join us for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry!</a> </li>
<li>Ron's comprehensive list of <a href="https://smartstepfamilies.com/smart-help/therapy-providers">Recognized Smart Stepfamily Therapy Providers</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://linktr.ee/familylifeblended">Check out everything FamilyLife Blended has to offer.</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://donate.familylife.com/blended/?cru_source=D000BLENDG&amp;cru_medium=DesktopHeaderNav&amp;cru_campaign=Blended">Send in a tax deductible gift to the FamilyLife Blended Team.</a> </li>
</ul>

141 Overcoming Stepparenting Myths

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