The Smart Stepfamily: Seven Steps to a Healthy Family
The Smart Stepfamily: Seven Steps to a Healthy Family book cover

The Smart Stepfamily: Seven Steps to a Healthy Family

Paperback – May 20, 2014

Price
$9.69
Format
Paperback
Pages
320
Publisher
Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0764212062
Dimensions
6 x 0.73 x 9 inches
Weight
15.4 ounces

Description

Discover the Keys to a Healthy Stepfamily Leading stepfamily expert Ron L. Deal reveals the seven fundamental steps to blended family success and provides practical, realistic solutions to the issues you face as a stepfamily. Whether married or soon-to-be-married, you'll discover how to· Solve the everyday puzzles of stepparenting and stepchildren relationships· Communicate effectively with an ex-spouse· Handle stepfamily finances confidently· "Cook" your stepfamily slowly rather than expect an instant blendThis revised and expanded edition has updated research and two new chapters with even more real-world advice on topics such as stepsibling relationships and later-life stepfamilies. "I highly recommended the first edition, and I am even more excited about this new edition."--from the foreword by Gary Chapman, PhD, author of The Five Love Languages " The Smart Stepfamily is the best book available for stepfamilies that I've seen.xa0.xa0.xa0. Buy it, read it, and share it with a friend."--Dennis Rainey, president, FamilyLife®, and author of Stepping Up "We've pointed countless couples to this outstanding resource. And this revised and updated edition is better than ever!"--Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, founders of MarriageMentoring.com and authors of Saving Your Second Marriage Before It Starts "Ron Deal has, by far, the best material available on stepfamilies. The insights and suggestions he shares work. Every stepfamily will benefit from reading this book."--H. Norman Wright, licensed marriage, family, and child therapist, founder of Christian Marriage Enrichment, author "I love this book! It adds an important dimension to the understanding of stepfamilies and reads as if sitting down with wise friends. Written on the 'information is power' premise, The Smart Stepfamily weaves together a review of biblical materials, current psychological and sociological research, best practices, practical insights, and anecdotal stories to educate and support stepfamilies and the clergy who serve them."--Dr. Margorie Engel, former president and CEO, Stepfamily Association of America"I have long recommended Ron Deal's work as the very best for stepfamilies. If you are looking for a clear, hands-on resource to strengthen your family from a deeply Christian perspective, you've come to the right place." --Scott M. Stanley, research professor, University of Denver, and coauthor of A Lasting Promise Ron L. Deal is founder of Smart Stepfamilies™, Director of FamilyLife Blended™, the author of The Smart Stepdad and Dating and the Single Parent , and coauthor of The Smart Stepmom and Building Love Together in Blended Families . Ron is a licensed marriage and family therapist who frequently appears in the national media, including FamilyLife Today , Focus on the Family , and The 700 Club . Ron and his wife, Nan, and their sons live in Little Rock, Arkansas . Learn more at RonDeal.org.

Features & Highlights

  • Over 150,000 copies sold. An Amazon bestselling book from speaker and therapist Ron Deal, one of the most widely read and viewed experts on blended families in the country.
  • Part of Ron's
  • Smart Stepfamily Series
  • of books (over 250,000 copies sold) including
  • The Smart Stepmom, The Smart Stepdad, Dating and the Single Parent, The Smart Stepfamily Marriage, Daily Encouragement for the Smart Stepfamily,
  • and
  • The Smart Stepfamily Guide to Financial Planning
  • . Foreword and endorsement by Dr. Gary Chapman, New York Times bestselling author of
  • The Five Love Languages.
  • Discover the Keys to a Healthy Stepfamily
  • Leading stepfamily expert Ron L. Deal reveals the seven fundamental steps to blended family success and provides practical, realistic solutions to the issues you face as a stepfamily. Whether married or soon-to-be-married, you'll discover how to· Solve the everyday puzzles of stepparenting and stepchildren relationships· Communicate effectively with an ex-spouse· Handle stepfamily finances confidently· "Cook" your stepfamily slowly rather than expect an instant blendThis revised and expanded edition has updated research and two new chapters with even more real-world advice on topics such as stepsibling relationships and later-life stepfamilies.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
60%
(442)
★★★★
25%
(184)
★★★
15%
(111)
★★
7%
(52)
-7%
(-52)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

and I'd recommend that, too

This is a really helpful book with solid advice on navigating the complexities of the a blended family. My wife and I got to attend a seminar by the author, and I'd recommend that, too. However I think if I had to choose between a seminar and the book I'd go for the book. It's well written and gives lots of very practical help.
3 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

A NECESSITY for every stepfamily!

I was blown away by the insights in this book. Starting a step family is a different animal that starting a family of two, and this books nails it. It needs to be on the kitchen table of every step family in the country -- and dog-eared from reading and referencing!
3 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

For Christians Only

There was no inkling that this was a Christian book until you started reading it. If you are Christian and enjoy sermons, you might find this book beneficial. But as a non-Christian I heard enough about Moses in the first chapter to give up reading it.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Good book with great information - BUT it will only ...

Good book with great information - BUT it will only work if BOTH parents read and follow the advice. Ideally, please read this book BEFORE you get remarried and start a blended family. There are so many things it is essential to know from the beginning - or even before you start dating as a single parent.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

OK advice for divorced religious couples with children, not so good for atheists, widows, and widowers

Decent advice if you are dealing with divorce on all sides, but unfortunately it doesn't really discuss relationships where the woman was a widow and the man was divorced with no children. Book has too much religious fluff and not enough psychological science in my opinion.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Helpful info and well written

This book gave me a lot of great food for thought. I like how it tried to point out different aspects of stepfamily life that people in different situations might need. I found it encouraging and am looking forward to doing a small group on the topic with others who also have stepfamilies.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

a well as other healing self-help workshops and have done John Bakers Celebrate Recovery (twelve steps) and Ron Deal's book is a

After my divorce I sought out a Father's Resource Center, a DivorceCare Recovery program, a well as other healing self-help workshops and have done John Bakers Celebrate Recovery (twelve steps) and Ron Deal's book is another great resource and tool for those who want to "grow through their experience" and make the very best of their efforts at daring to believe again that you can have a second chance (or third, or fourth) at living a "happily married" life. The book is based on biblical principles and very insightful and has very creative thought concepts to relate the author's twenty years experience as a blended family therapist to the readers. My wife and I love each other very much but step family parenting is tough work with many unexpected opportunities for those who seek them. The book challenges the reader with coming to an awareness of the many possible aspects/areas for disillusionment and offers great tools of thought to help those of us who want the best for our children as well as our marriages. Great book - my wife and I love it and the book speaks to our situation very clearly.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Very well written

Enjoying this as a book study in our Life Group.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Four Stars

Good ideas!
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Four Stars

Good ideas!
1 people found this helpful