Ex-partners & In-laws
Ex-partners and extended family cause havoc for many blended families.
These people are not necessarily in your life by choice but rather though blood ties which bind you to them. Extended families have a moral right, not a legal one, to be a part of a child’s life through their biological connection. However, if their impact on a step family is deemed to be particularly harmful, a family can make the decision to limit contact.
With ex-partners it is seldom possible to make the same decision because of their legal rights as a parent to maintain contact with their child. Ex-partners are not ex-parents and must therefore have the opportunity to be a significant part of their child’s life.
Your blended family is consequently bound to ex-partner/s longterm.
This irreversible fact provides a strong incentive to try and find ways to communicate with an ex-partner in a cooperative manner. It is difficult when ex-partner’s are involved because the emotional investment you once had in the relationship with them has been sacrificed leaving behind hurt feelings. Hurt, jealously, and insecurity are prime motives for behaviour and cause people to be ruled by their emotions which tends to fuel conflict.
Blending with teens as opposed to younger children is often harder but where an ex is out to sabotage relationships, it makes blending more complicated regardless of the age of the children. There are a number of things that can be done to build the bridge of peace with an ex (in fact I’ve written a whole eBook on the topic) ) beginning with letting the ex know that the stepparent is not out to ‘replace’ them but to support them in their important role – pretty tough but it only takes one person to start building the bridge and your attitude will often determine how others respond to you.
The adults in a child’s life may not like each other, but will further the best interests of their child if they can work together. The thing is, you will always come face to face with people you struggle to get along with. In most cases with a bit of effort, you can develop a civil, functional relationship.
If you’d like more indepth advice, skills and strategies on this topic “Ex-partners & In-laws” is right for you! Check it out…
“Ex-partners & In-laws”
Receive advice on how to cope when these significant relationships turn sour as they have the potential to destroy your blended family. You’ll learn how to communicate with challenging people and get strategies to protect your family. This eBook includes the following topics:
- Difficult People: Understand and communicate with them
- Strategies for Dealing with Difficult People
- Improve Extended Family Dynamics
- How to Handle Controllers, Critics and Rejecters
- Tips for healthy relationships
- Ex-partners: Help to improve your interaction
- Tips for Stepparents
- Setting Boundaries: Protecting yourself and your relationship
- Strategies to Help Your Children through the Turmoil
The strategies outlined in “Ex-partners & In-laws” will help you build the bridge of peace with the difficult people in your life.
Order now using Paypal’s secure payment form for just US$11.95 and I’ll personally email “Ex-Partners and In-Laws” directly to you:
Warm regards
Adele Cornish
p.s. A free copy of ‘Ex-Partners and In-Laws’ is included in the Comprehensive Blending Lives Program which gives you access to professional, independent advice for your specific issues. To find out more simply click here