165: Two Homes, One Team: Co-Parenting for Your Kids' Well-being

Good co-parenting with a former spouse helps kids navigate life in two homes with greater ease. Ron Deal's conversation with Jay and Tammy Daughtry teaches us how to be parental partners, not angry associates, as we compartmentalize the pain from divorce and manage co-parenting through a businessli…

164: Building Character for Stronger Relationships: Developing the 4 Essential Character Traits to Raise Resilient Kids

Dr. John Townsend defines four essential character traits that individuals need to navigate life's challenges and demands. He shares with Ron Deal that these components are required for stronger relationships. We can help our children and stepchildren develop them and be resilient kids. 1) Attachme…

163: Cutting the Tension: Building Trust Between a Stepmom and Stepdaughter

The stepmom-stepdaughter relationship often includes competing loyalties and confusing dynamics and can be the hardest relationship to navigate when blending a family. Ron Deal talks with stepmom Jessica Pickens and her bonus daughter, Jayla, about their ongoing struggles, cutting through tension, …

162: One Family's Journey to Blended Unity: Looking Back to the Teenage Years

Tim and Olivia Smith brought six kids into their blended family in 1997. In their conversation with Ron Deal, they share the joys and challenges of melding together two families, how to encourage relationship building between siblings, and how stepparents can move from a place of isolation to a pla…

161: Growing Up Blended, and Navigating the Maze to Build Strong Blended Bonds

Robert and Jennie Lord both grew up in blended families. They share their stories with Ron Deal about the residue left behind from the maze of parental divorce, multiple stepparents, challenges in relationship building, unwanted transitions, and ongoing instability. They’ve sought healing from thos…

160 From Shame to Strength: A Single Mom's Journey to Healing and Hope

Jennifer Maggio shares her story with Ron Deal of her challenges as a single mom that propelled her to begin a national ministry, serving over 1,000,000 single moms. Now married in a blended family, she continues the mission that no single mom walk alone. Show Notes and Resources You can still reg…

159 The 3-Step Guide to Navigating Hard Feelings in Your Blended Family

What do you do with feelings like anger, jealousy, hurt, or rejection in your blended family? Listen to Ron Deal’s conversation with Dr. Alison Cook, who offers a three-step process to work through hard feelings and find healing and hope for your journey. Show Notes and Resources Register for Blen…

158 Prodigal Parents: Rebuilding Relationships with Children and Not Losing Your Influence

Parenting a prodigal creates pain and helplessness as we seek to navigate difficult relationships. Listen to Ron Deal’s conversation with Judy Douglass, a prodigal parent, on how to tenderly manage these tenuous relationships while staying calm, present, and patient in rebuilding a relationship on …

157 "I see you": Creating Community for Brown & Black Blended Families

Cheryl Shumake wants to reach brown & black blended families with brown & black voices. She & Clifton Howard talk with Ron Deal about her new ministry, Sawubona, which means “I see you” & its goal to break through the barriers with culture-informed spaces Show Notes and Resources Watch Blended & B…

156 Playing Hurt: A Guy’s Strategy for a Winning Marriage

What does the apostle Paul mean in Philippians 2:4 when he says, “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others?” How do we apply that to marriage, and to relationships in a blended family? In this podcast episode, Ron Deal talks with Brian Goins, aut…