When stepfamily life gets tough, remaining dedicated to your commitment is a day-to-day decision.

In The Smart Stepfamily, leading expert Ron L. Deal reveals the seven fundamental steps to blended family success and provides practical, realistic solutions to the issues you face as a stepfamily. Whether married or soon-to-be married, you'll discover how to communicate effectively and solve the everyday puzzles of stepchildren relationships. This revised and expanded edition is 50% new and has updated research and two new chapters with more real-world advice on stepsibling relationships and later-life stepfamilies.

• Recognize the unique personality and place of each family member
• Solve the everyday puzzles of step parenting and stepchildren relationships
• Learn communication skills to deal with ex-spouses
• Honor families of origin while developing new traditions
• Invest the time to grow their stepfamily slowly rather than look for instant results

Wisdom and Inspiration for Blended Families

Got a minute? Then you have time for a daily dose of practical advice, reassurance, and insight for your stepfamily journey. These 365 short and sweet readings will keep your family blending and bonding throughout the year.

Topics include:

• parenting and stepparenting
• strengthening your marriage
• grief in the stepfamily
• bonding with children
• co-parenting with exes
• readings for special days like Mother's Day, Thanksgiving, and other holidays
• and plenty of inspirational stories to lift your spirits and keep you stepping in the right direction!

Each daily dose of encouragement includes a prayer for your home. Sharing these readings with your spouse and, when appropriate, your kids will spark valuable conversations that will strengthen your family and bring you closer together!

This easy-to-use prayer card equips you to bring your blended family to the God who sees, through prayers full of God’s own words from Scripture: prayers of character, purpose, and hope.