One of the most challenging seasons we experienced in our stepfamily journey was when my daughter suddenly turned against our family.  And it was heartbreaking to learn that her change of heart toward our home was influenced by some exaggerations and lies that she heard from my Ex.

The reality is that you can't change your Ex (even though you might really want to!)  You don't have control over what they say to the kids about you.  And when negative comments escalate to slander, it's our kids that are hurt the most.  They're often caught in the middle and confused about how to respond.

This isn't easy to navigate.  Telling your kids what they should believe usually doesn't help — it could actually make things even harder for them.  

Instead, we've discovered a way to help kids come to their own conclusions and uncover the truth for themselves.  And you can do this too — without challenging the Ex or putting the kids in the middle.

Listen to this week's episode where we'll share how we strategically shed light on the lies and diminished the toxic influence of my Ex.  

Full episode show notes & resources available here:  https://support.mikeandkimcoaching.com/008

Toxic Exes can impact lots of things…and it could be that nothing is more worrisome than how they impact our kids.

The good news is that you can counteract the negative influence of that Toxic Ex with some simple tools.  You can guide your kids through their difficult emotions — and you don't have to be a child psychologist to do that well!

We'll walk you through the basics of what Dr. John Gottman calls Emotion Coaching in this episode.  It's a process that any parent or step-parent can learn.

Full episode show notes available here:  https://support.mikeandkimcoaching.com/007

Have you ever been forced to choose between two things you love?

Kids in blended families seem to be stuck in that position a lot — specifically when it comes to "choosing" between Mom or Dad.  Even though they may not talk about it, many kids feel this way when they're moving between two homes.

It's so common that there's a name for it — Parental Allegiance

Discover the different ways kids are inadvertently impacted by Parental Allegiances and how you can support them when it really counts.

Full episode show notes available here:  https://support.mikeandkimcoaching.com/006

Recently, we were asked to talk about getting over past hurts and triggers.  This can be a challenging issue for blended family couples.

It's natural for us to view new relationships through the lens of our experiences with previous partners.  Even though we may have left our past behind and we're moving on, sometimes circumstances in our current relationship can remind us of a negative experience from the past.

In this episode, we'll talk about why this can be so challenging and then give you 3 specific action steps you can take to get over those hurts and triggers from your past.

Full episode show notes available here:  https://support.mikeandkimcoaching.com/005

Eventually, step-couples feel stuck because their parenting-styles seem to be so different.  Their differences often lead to conflict — but what if there's more to the story?  

In this episode, we'll explore what parenting-styles really are — and what most couples really mean when they are feeling frustrated that their styles are just too different.  Then we'll offer practical insights and resources that will help you take a next step toward getting united in your parenting.

Full episode show notes available here:  https://support.mikeandkimcoaching.com/004

Does it ever feel impossible to juggle all the relational priorities of blended family life?  We all know that maintaining personal health is a must…spending time alone as a couple will keep us connected…oh, and what about the quality time we should be having as a family?

The problem is, there never seems to be enough time to balance it all.  Our suggestion is to STOP trying to balance it all!  Instead, take a NEW approach.  Listen in on this episode to discover it for yourself…

Full episode show notes available here:  https://support.mikeandkimcoaching.com/003

Do you ever feel like blended family life is overwhelming or just too complicated?  We know that feeling too!  Listen in as we share a framework that will help make the complex dynamics much simpler.

And don't miss out on downloading our free 5-Focus Framework Cheat Sheet…just click the link below.

Full episode show notes available here:  https://support.mikeandkimcoaching.com/002

In this debut episode, we'll share a little of our story, describe what this podcast is all about and give you a challenge that's sure to get you thinking...

Full episode show notes available here:  https://support.mikeandkimcoaching.com/001