Tips for Successful Blending
I see a lot of venting, complaining, and general struggle in this group. And I totally get it. I’m not expecting blending families to be easy and you bet your ass I’ll be back here doing exactly that at some point.
But I’d love to hear more about the things that you did that have really worked for you as you blended families.
Things like:
-What conversations did you have with your partner and the kids (separately and/or together) prior to moving in?
-What things were done to welcome in a new family into your home to help them feel like it was now theirs too? Conversely, what did you do with your child to help them feel at home in a new house?
-What rules/expectations/boundaries did you put in place that have served you well?
-What resources have been helpful in your journey (therapy, books/workbooks, websites, articles, social media, etc)?
For context, we’re both almost 50, queer, our kids are younger teens (12-15), are friends/friendly and get along well. We’ve been together for about 2.5 years now but have known each other for about 6, as have our kids. My partner and I are currently exploring therapy to help us navigate our own issues and better prepare ourselves for this transition. I know we’re all different but I’d love to hear what’s worked for others.