An estimated 100 million people in the United States have some sort of “step” relationship. This could be a stepchild, a stepparent, or even a stepsibling. These relationships are often part of what’s known as a “blended” family, where individuals come together from previous relationships to form a new, unique family unit.

Blended families face many challenges and difficulties that other families don’t necessarily have to navigate. They have to build new relationships within the parent-child and sibling dynamics that have already been established. It can feel awkward at times, and kids may even struggle with feeling like their stepparent is trying to replace or force a bond.

While we don’t have personal experience on this topic, our guests do—and they are here to share their wisdom with us. Paul and Jeannette Savage are a Colorado-based couple with a blended family of five adult children and five grandchildren. Together, they authored Blended: Navigating the Challenges and Joys of a Stepfamily.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Common challenges blended families face
• The importance of avoiding defensiveness
• How to preserve the original parent-child bond
• And more!

Find resources mentioned and more in the show notes: jillsavage.org/paul-jeannette-savage-252

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