This is the fourth book in a re/divorce-prevention series for co-parents and supporters. It adds five post-re/wedding projects to seven outlined in the prior volume "Stepfamily Courtship." All 12 projects aim to overcome five widespread hazards that I believe cause over half of U.S. first and subsequent marriages to fail, psychologically or legally. The hazards are: (1) unseen psychological wounds from a low-nurturance childhood; (2) blocked grief; (3) unawareness of grieving, communication, and effective-relationship basics, and stepfamily realities; (4) courtship neediness and illusions, and (5) little informed community and media support to help with these four stressors.
The first seven co-parent projects are: (1) assess for psychological wounds, and begin recovery as needed; (2) build effective communication skills; (3) accept your stepfamily identity, and resolve membership conflicts; (4) convert myths into realistic expectations; (5) assess for blocked grief, and free any you find; (6) draft a stepfamily mission statement and co-parent "job descriptions;" and (7) answer three vital re/marriage questions before committing.
