Preparing to Blend: The Couple's Guide to Becoming a Smart Stepfamily

by Ron L. Deal

Overview

A Premarital Guide for Blended Family Couples

If you want to enter a blended family marriage well, this is the book for you. Aimed at engaged or pre-engaged couples who have at least one child from a previous relationship, Preparing to Blend offers wise counsel on parenting, finances, establishing family identity, and daily routines for your new life together. Within these pages you will learn how to:

· predict common issues
· define expectations
· create solutions

You, your soon-to-be-spouse, and your children will benefit from exercises designed to accelerate family bonding and help you better understand each other. There is even a chapter to help you plan your wedding with your children in mind, so you can build a strong future together. Preparing to Blend is also an ideal premarital counseling tool for marriage coaches, mentors, and pastors wanting to prepare couples for complex blended family dynamics.

If you are considering forming a blended family, Preparing to Blend is the resource you've been looking for.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780764237935
Publisher:	Baker Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/14/2021
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	496,100
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Ron L. Deal is one of the most widely read and viewed experts on blended families in the country. He is president of Smart Stepfamilies™, directs the blended family ministry at FamilyLife®, and is the author of more than a dozen books and resources including the bestselling The Smart Stepfamily and Building Love Together in Blended Families (with Dr. Gary Chapman). Ron is a licensed marriage and family therapist, and he and his wife, Nan, have been married since 1986 and have three boys. Find resources, podcasts, and conference information at SmartStepfamilies.com and FamilyLife.com/blended.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 13

Introduction 15

1 Not Just a Couple: Growing Activities, Bonding, and Becoming a Family 19

2 Seeing Is Eye-Opening: Drawing Your Blended Family Map 29

3 Helpful Expectations 43

4 Planning Your Wedding 57

5 Co-Creating Familyness: Deciding What to Call Each Other 67

6 Parenting Together 81

7 Creating a Shared Grief Journey 103

8 Anticipating What Will Change 121

9 Merging Money and Your Family 139

10 Till Death Do Us Part 155

Notes 167