Family meetings can be beneficial for everyone, and children who experience family meetings their entire life are much better prepared for life and what is ahead. It can not be just any family meeting, it has to be productive, respectful and…
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The phrase “family dysfunction” is a well-worn descriptor used to label a cluster of common traits or behaviors that permeate and twist the dynamics of a family into a tangled web of unhealthy interactions. Although there is no perfect family and each has its examples…
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Although all children crave stability and security from their home life the average blended family requires about a year and a half to settle into a groove. This means that a newly blended family has at least a year of…
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One of the greatest things about living in this day and age are the opportunities for our children. There are a wide variety of sports teams, clubs, cultural events and options that they can take advantage of. There are school…
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Blended families are a reality of today’s society. Divorce statistics are high and only getting higher, therefore, the majority of families will break up and at some point, these families will usually blend with another and form a new household….
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For children that are entering into new ‘blended’ families, there is a new role to be taken on. The new role is that of stepchildren. They’ve never been that before, just as you may never have been a stepparent, but…
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Generations may span between you and your loved ones, years that give you different experiences, viewpoints and abilities. They may seem so different from you that you have difficulty believing that they were once like you. That does not mean…
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Most people already have a relationship with one or more elderly relatives. Most people find that having a ‘good ear’ serves a great purpose in their lives. They may have sat for hours on end listening to the stories of…
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Befriending a stepchild can be a easy or difficult, depending on the situation and the involvement the child has in the family. Questions need to be asked. Are there step-siblings involved? Who is trying to befriend the child; the wife…
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Blended families may once have been the exception, but in today’s society, they are by far the rule. It is extremely difficult to find a child in our school classrooms that is being raised in the home with both of…
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Blended families and non-blended families face many of the same issues with getting along and working together. The blended family has a few more players, but often the dynamics are similar. Whether you come from, have a blended family or…
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Mother and son relationships are unique. Moms are in a great position to help their little boy become a strong, independent, thoughtful, loving, successful man. It doesn’t happen overnight and you can wait until they are 15 years old to…
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Psychological studies have revealed that children growing up and going off to college, or setting out to live on their own, or getting married and going away from home can and does negatively impact parents (mothers especially), but that doesn’t…
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It would be a pretty safe bet to assume that most teenagers have heard from a parent these words: “You know better than that.” The parent is referring to that unwritten code that they have been teaching the child their…
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One of the hardest things about growing up is telling your parents you are leaving home; it can be one of the most difficult things to do as you become a young adult. How would you tell them? Although it…
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The most valuable thing that a mother can do for her son is shape him into the man that he will eventually become. Mothers can do this effectively by shepherding their sons through the stages of life. There are some…
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Living a life of honor produces longevity of life. The principle is found in the Ten Commandments given to Moses by God and restated by Jesus in the New Testament. It is the only commandment accompanied by a promise of…
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Even the most universal phenomena can see drastic, sweeping changes over time. For the world’s population, any particular cultural norm or familiar rite can be transformed over generations into an unrecognizable form. The ways people live, die, celebrate, grieve, learn, play…
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Once I was trying hard not to overhear a conversation among teenagers when one sentence jumped out of the low rumble of voices and caught my attention. It came from the mouth of a young girl. It came out crisp…
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Family problems caused by meddling parents… Meddling parents can be a disaster for a couples life if they allow their parents to start trying to run their business. Parents have a tendency to want to tell their children what and…
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If you are beginning to think of fleeing the nest, beware. You will need to prove to your parents that you have the resources to make that move, especially if you don’t want resistance to the idea. What many young…
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Assembling all the elements of your family history research into a cohesive whole is rather like adopting a very unconventional approach to a jigsaw puzzle. You don’t start in the usual way at the outer limit, the perimeter of the…
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Life can get busy and in between the hectic daily routines of work, school, family and other responsibilities, finding the time to prepare a home cooked meal can be a challenge. But with the right preparations, it can be a rewarding…
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Genealogy is a very popular interest. It is natural for people to want to know about their family history and their own origins. Genealogy is simply a family’s story. Beginning your genealogy research may seem daunting and you may wonder…
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Sometimes it may seem like your teenager lives on a different planet. However, that is far from the truth. Your teen is in a transition from childhood to adulthood. Make this time special by sharing fun activities with them. Family…
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I am pretty certain that you have heard the expression ‘with kid gloves’ but even if you have not, I am certain that someone in your life has taught you the meaning of respect. There are certain people in this…
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The career or job of care giving is full of responsibility, patience and enduring long hours of unyielding hard work. A caregiver might soon show signs of burnout or have symptoms of “compassion fatigue. This burnout or “compassion fatigue” does…
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Creating a caregivers survival kit is a necessity for anyone who is a caregiver. It’s easy to become burned out when tending to the needs of a loved one or someone who is chronically ill. Eventually health problems can occur…
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Being a caregiveris very rewarding, but it is also very draining. An elderly family member can require constant care as their condition progresses. It can almost be like babysitting a small child, at times. With today’s rising cost of healthcare, many…
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For many centuries family lineage was recorded on enormous paper charts, with lines connecting generations and hundreds of names recorded in minuscule handwriting or print. In the 21st century this tedious and inflexible method can be abandoned, because there are…
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