Stepcoupling: Creating and Sustaining a Strong Marriage in Today's Blended Family

Love may be sweeter the second time around, but once the bliss of a newfound relationship wears off a little, the reality of being part of a stepfamily sets in. If you are one of the millions of remarried Americans facing the challenge of blending two existing families into one cohesive whole, you are part of a stepcouple—and you know all too well how hard it can be to make your marriage work in sometimes tough terrain.

Different parenting styles, finances, relationships with ex-spouses, legal matters, and even seemingly simple issues such as the kinds of chores assigned to children can chisel away at your union if you don’t always make your marriage a priority.

Stepcoupling offers advice for stepcouples on how to do just that—all the while strengthening their blended family with a healthy marriage. Susan Wisdom and Jennifer Green provide tips and strategies on dealing with the issues remarried couples face, with a wealth of advice from real-life stepcouples, such as:

* Learning to tailor your expectations of your spouse or children and remembering that no family is perfect
* Knowing where your boundaries are, whether involving a hostile ex-spouse or a stepchild who demands too much attention
* Realizing that traits like flexibility, tolerance, forgiveness, and openness are especially essential in a stepfamily situation
* Making “us” time for talking, problem-solving, weekends away, and enjoying your marriage to constantly renew and strengthen your bond as a couple

Let this invaluable remarriage manual help you make your stepcouple the foundation of a strong, happy, and successful stepfamily.

• Stepmonster: A New Look at Why Real Stepmothers Think, Feel, and Act the Way We Do
• The Single Girl's Guide to Marrying a Man, His Kids, and His Ex-Wife: Becoming A Stepmother With Humor And Grace
• The Smart Stepfamily: Seven Steps to a Healthy Family
• STEP PARENTING: 50 One-Minute DOs and DON'Ts for Stepdads and Stepmoms
• But I'm NOT a Wicked Stepmother!: Secrets of Successful Blended Families
• The Happy Stepmother: Stay Sane, Empower Yourself, Thrive in Your New Family
• 131 Conversations for Stepfamily Success: How to Grow Intimacy, Parent as a Team, and Build a Joyful Home (131 Creative Conversations) (Volume 4)
• The Smart Stepdad: Steps to Help You Succeed
• The Smart Stepmom: Practical Steps to Help You Thrive
• A Career Girl's Guide to Becoming a Stepmom: Expert Advice from Other Stepmoms on How to Juggle Your Job, Your Marriage, and Your New Stepkids