If one or both of you had  kids before you found each other, read on.

Step by Step Coaching is for couples like you who want to make the transition to becoming a family as smooth as possible. Some couples like you call themselves a stepfamily.  Others will say their family is blended.  Others just think of themselves as a couple and his or her kids.  Regardless of what they call themselves, they all face the challenge of pulling the people they love into a family that works for all of them.
 

See which of these situations fits you and your family:

• You’re a single mom or dad who is about to get married. As excited as you are about your new love, you sometimes worry about how the children will adjust.  One day, everybody seems to be getting along just fine, and the next, things are just awful.  When you feel torn between your fiancee and your children, it’s just miserable.  When things are going better, your hopes soar.

• The wonderful person you married is a parent, so you have to share him or her with the kids. They have inside jokes, family stories, routines and traditions that you are having to learn.   You’re new to the parent role, and sometimes, in spite of yourself, you feel a little left out.  You wonder how you fit in, what your role really is.  There are times that you think the kids get by with way too much, and other times that their mom or dad is unduly hard on them.

• Both of you have kids of your own. Some of them live with you, and others visit, so the number of children in the house depends on the day of the week.  You look forward to the whole family being together even though the kids squabble or take turns being the one to rain on the parade.  Finding couple time can be quite a challenge.  Differences in the way you parent lead to frustration, misunderstanding or conflict from time to time.  You want the best for everyone, but figuring out what that is can be tough.

• Your partner isn’t likely to work with a coach, but you want support to develop the skills you need to create the kind of family that you both want. Whether you are the mom or stepmom, dad or stepdad, you are not sure exactly what you should be doing to smooth the waters in your family.  You know there are tensions or just awkwardness between people in the family, and you want to make it better.

The people who get the best results from working with me

• Really want to build a loving, lasting family together.
• Are willing to set aside time for coaching sessions and work toward goals between sessions.
• Are open to growing and changing as they build and change their families.

To read about how coaching can help you design a family that works for all of you, read "How We Work".