Published July 2011: ParentUSACity.com When You're the New Stepparent of a Teenager Article Excerpt: Finding the perfect mix for a blended family takes time. Just as it takes time to warm up to a new friend or neighbor, stepchildren need time to absorb the changes in the family and to evaluate how to approach relationships. And when the stepchild is a teen, an extra set of challenges comes into play. According to Patricia Schell Kuhlman, a counselor with special interest in attachment and bonding, relationships with an outside parent are complicated at any age. With teens, she says, “Going through the initial immersion stage with adolescent stepchildren is very challenging because their normal development needs for separation and independence from the family are in conflict with the need of the stepfamily to form new family bonds and relationships.” An instantaneous bond may not happen, especially when a teen feels resentment toward parents and stepparents following a divorce or death. Therefore, the relationship must develop with input from both the teen and stepparent. Learning how to navigate the challenges requires patience and flexibility from both sides. Read the rest of the story here. - Shannon Philpott
Month: July 2011
Allowing Allowance
Allowing Allowance Teaching Children Responsibility One Dollar at a Time Article Excerpt: When Danny Payne was a child, he would go to the store with his parents and find a toy he just had to have. Although many parents give in and fork over the cash to please their children, Payne's parents reminded him of the long list of chores posted on the fridge that would allow him to earn the money to buy the toy. "I can remember that mowing the lawn paid $1.25, which I'm sure violated child labor laws because our Midwest lawn was huge," said Payne, a California-based certified financial planner. After a week or two of mowing the lawn and checking off chores on that list, Payne began to value his earnings and decided that the toy he just had to have wasn't necessarily worth the money. Payne learned a valuable lesson about managing his finances and prioritizing his wants and needs.
Shannon Philpott-Sanders 