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Does it ever feel like you have a bit of a double life going?

You have those moments when it's just you and your partner and it feels like all is right with the world…

…but suddenly, when one or both sets of kids enter the scene — everything seems to fall apart!

That's because when it comes to blended families, "coupleness" does NOT necessarily equal "familyness".

This is often a tough reality to accept. You're deeply in love and excited about building a life together, but it seems that you've got some emotional and relational whiplash as it feels like you're tossed back and forth between two dynamics over and over.

If that strikes a chord, you might want to consider the difference between "coupleness" and "familyness".. Otherwise disappointment and confusion can quickly set in.

Blending a family is so much more than your couple relationship. That's why it's important to carefully consider what it takes to build "familyness" and prepare for the road ahead.

In this episode, we'll explore how to intentionally approach "Familyness" so that you can reduce relational tension and create genuine connection in your home.

You'll Discover:

• How to avoid the 'easy wrong turns' couples tend to make around building "familyness"
• Empowering insights and practical strategies to successfully build "familyness"

Resources from this Episode:

• Episode 39. How to Create Strong Bonds with Resistant Stepkids
• Episode 130. How to Build Trust that Nurtures Bonds with Your Kids and Stepkids
• Episode 136. How to Intentionally Create Positive Family Time and Reduce Relational Tension
• Episode 72. The Best Way to Create Healthy Bonded Relationships (How to "Cook" a Stepfamily)
• All Episodes that Focus on:
• Bonding
• Parenting/Stepparenting
• Books by Ron Deal:
• The Smart Stepfamily
• Preparing to Blend
• Building Love Together in Blended Families

Ready for some extra support?

You can connect with us for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence and connection in your home. Schedule your free call here: https://calendly.com/mikeandkimcoaching/freesession

Click this link to join our Build Your Parenting Partnership 3-Day Challenge: https://learning.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/parentingpartnershipchallenge

Resources:

When you and your partner hit a leadership bump in the road and you're struggling to stay connected and communicate effectively, pause and honestly ask yourself these 3 questions:

1. Am I really listening to my partner and affirming their perspective…or am I quick to disagree?
2. Am I curious about what my partner might be experiencing…or have I become critical?
3. What am I experiencing emotionally and how might I openly express and manage my own emotions well?

For additional insight and next steps on this topic, check out these episodes:

Episode 147. Do Sensitive Conversations end up creating conflict in your relationship?Episode 134. How to Make Good Decisions in Tough Situations and Stay Connect as a Couple
Episode 108. 3 Unity Breakers that are Detrimental to Your Connection and How You Can Avoid Them
Episode 105. What powerful traits do you need to successfully blend and stay united?Episode 79. 4 Conflict Communication Patterns That are Hurtful and Toxic to Your Relationship
Episode 63. 5 Strategies to Help You Get United - Even When You Disagree
Episode 50. How to Openly Communicate What You Really Want
Episode 35. Are you controlling conflict or is it controlling you?

Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question

Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show? Let us know!

We've made it easy. Just click here: https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/share

Ready for some extra support?

We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help. You can connect with us for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence, and connection in your home. Schedule your free call here: https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/free-call

Subscribe or Follow the Show

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet? If not, we want to encourage you do that today so you don't miss a single episode.

Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts

Click here to follow on Spotify

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us to read too! :-) Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!