This is a public service information request. In the Winter 2009 edition of Black Woman and Child magazine (November 2009), we are working on a piece about blended families. Meaning, he has a child from a previous relationship, maybe you have a child as well. And now that you are together, maybe you have more children together. How is it working for you? Are you able to balance the needs of the children, previous partners, grandparents, society and, if you’re lucky, yourselves? Are you happy? Do you have any advice for others in a similar situation? Is there anything that you wish you could do differently? Please share. Your comments could go a long way in supporting one of our readers — and, if you are interested, you could even be one of our featured families for the article. Let us know where you live; our goal is always to go global as much as possible. If you don’t want to use your real name, just don’t.
To find out more about BWAC, visit www.blackwomanandchild.com.
Blog Woman and Child 
BWAC, thanks for drawing attention to this very common type of family! One side of my blended family (my ex, myself, his new wife and my new husband), although we still have issues, works. It works because although we still have issues; which is inevitable when you have 2 sets of parents, children and obviously different ways of doing things, we COMMUNICATE, openly and honestly. But, the other side (my husband, his ex, myself and her new husband) is a complete disaster. I have made it a point over the last several years to delve deep into this topic [blended families] in order to help heal. As a BFC (Blended Family Counselor pending certification), I’ve talked to and worked with many blended families and have realized that we face many of the same challenges. It’s a difficult world to navigate through; trying to establish boundaries and limits for ex-spouses, trying to integrate both sets of children into your household and trying to maintain your marriage simultaneously…whew! Please visit my blog, http://www.blendingin.wordpress.com, for a more in depth understanding of my own blended family experiences as well as my candid views on the issues that we face.
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