11.20.07

Blended Family Plans “Operation Defending the Holidays”

Posted in News, Stepmom Profiles at 7:57 pm by Dawn Miller

The Mahopac family is collecting oreos, socks, packaged drinks and other items to mail to U.S. troops stationed in Iraq. Initially the family started mailing care packages to Luke Rathschmidt, a 21-year-old soldier and family member who is stationed in Baghdad.

Luke pointed out to his 8 “blended” brothers and sisters that many of the troops don’t have anyone to send things to them - much less a huge supportive blended family. And “Operation Defending the Holidays” was born.

The family is collecting items through donation boxes in three towns and is also working with two VFW posts. They live in New York state.

Read more about their efforts.

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11.16.07

Family Holiday Stress: Ease into Transitions

Posted in News, Perspectives at 6:41 pm by Dawn Miller

There’s a great article in today’s Asbury Park Press on dealing with holiday traditions changing in famiiles dealing with remarriage, divorce or loss. It offers some good advice for blended families who are eager to embrace new traditions, but may not find the kids quite so enthuiastic:

“One of the problems with newly blended families is that parents are excited about pulling everyone together and may forget that the kids don’t match their level of enthusiasm,” says Mandelbaum.

“If you’re coming from a divorced or newly married situation, continue traditions that don’t infringe on others and create new ones to bond the family together. The stepparent and stepchild may even want to do something one on one, but take the child’s lead in that.”

One thing that I was not prepared for in blended family life was the level of negotiation that would occur around our holidays. I guess I figured we would just figure it out once and that would be it. Instead, every year is a jigsaw puzzle.

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11.07.07

Recent News: Blended Families & Weddings

Posted in News at 8:04 am by Dawn Miller

Check out these recent articles on blended families and weddings:

• Blended families can make weddings tricky
• Weekend wedding empties the nest
• Proper wedding etiquette

Links for stepfamily weddings

• TheStepfamilyLife - Wedding links
• I Do Take Two

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