When two families merge, sometimes good results are easy to get and sometimes they’re a challenge. One time that can be a big challenge for blended families is the holidays.
This week on Dr. Bill Maier Live, Bill talks to Ron Deal, the leader of Family Life Blended, regarding how to spend the holidays and enjoy the holidays while juggling the responsibilities of multiple, blended families.
Ron discusses how step-families affect almost everyone, even if you aren’t directly part of a blended family, more than likely you have one somewhere in your family tree. He also talks about how the church is one of the places that can really help blended families with issues like this, with both targeted programs and specifically ministering to the family. He also discusses the occasional dissonance between two households and how they celebrate the holiday.
Deal is also the author of , which has recently been updated with new information. He also discusses a new article he wrote regarding planning holidays with extra families involved due to family blending. As well, he talks about the effects that holiday “power plays” from divided family members has on children. Also, the importance of keeping traditions and rituals with families even when you can’t be in the same place as each other is discussed.
Ron also says that kids have a lot of inner turmoil sometimes when they have to seem excited to be with family members but if those family members are split apart, they may try to change how they appear to feel to make parents feel better. He says that it’s important to let them be happy to see other parents during this festive time.
Bill also talks about the issues regarding young Christians leaving the faith at college and ways to deal with those issues. He says that one of the most important things you can do is to make your faith relevant in the home. He also discusses depression and sadness during the holidays and how to deal with those issues.
