Evo & Grace: The WanderLusts

A  stepfamily  or  blended family  is a family where one parent has children that are not related to the other parent. If you live in a blended household, you almost certainly recognize the dedication and stamina needed for a happy home. Although many families struggle through years of challenging communication, you can use specific strategies to help yours relate and function more peacefully.  You may already have learned some techniques that suit your family's needs. To supplement these, review these 9 strategies to help your blended family be healthy, happy and strong. 1. Agree on a plan. In advance of "blending" the families, parents can talk about how they will manage the kids and their lives together. Before you marry or move in, make it a point to discuss openly how you want the management of the kids to be split or shared. 2. Decide not to discipline the other's children. Although this may sound like a drastic measure, it's wise - a...

Self-confidence is one of those character traits that ensures a child will develop into an emotionally healthy, assertive adult. However, because your children attend school with their peers, they're exposed to numerous incidents of peer pressure every day, which can challenge their self-confidence. So, what's a parent to do? Although some of these incidents at school have positive effects on your child's psyche, the child who gets a healthy boost of self-confidence at home will fare far better when it comes to handling the influences of peers. These strategies can help you cultivate self-confidence in your child: 1. Allow children to do tasks and duties themselves. Even though you might prefer to follow along behind your child as he makes his bed, straightening the off-center pillows and fixing the bedspread that's draping on the floor on one side, it's important for your child to feel he performed well in a task you assigned.  * Stifle your i...

1. Paint her nails. Then let her scratch it off and dirty them up. Teach her to care about her appearance, and then quickly r emind her that living and having fun is most important. 2. Let her put on your makeup, even if it means bright-red-smudged lips and streaked-blue eyes. Let her experiment in her attempts to be like you…then let her be herself. 3. Let her be wild. She may want to stay home and read books on the couch, or she may want to hop on the back of a motorcycle-gasp. She may be a homebody or a traveler. She may fall in love with the wrong boy, or meet mr. right at age 5. Try to remember that you were her age once. Everyone makes mistakes, let her make her own. 4. Be present. Be there for her at her Kindergarten performances, her dance recitals, her soccer games…her everyday-little-moments. When she looks through the crowds of people, she will be looking for your smile and pride. Show it to her as often as possible. 5. Encourage her to try...