December, 2006
Issue 3

New Year's Resolutions
For Your Stepfamily

As social, personal, and spiritual celebrations wind down, it's time to stop and reflect on the passing year. Evaluate the positive, successful, and fulfilling events, and plan to improve and grow with new enriching and heartwarming experiences for you and your stepfamily. Please make resolutions that are realistic and create a step-by-step plan, and carry them out. Write them down and keep the list in a place where you will be able to access it often, and modify it as needed.

• Structure your planned (bi-weekly) family meetings. Include sharing of feelings, thoughts, and fun in each meeting.
• Take 3 steps to improve family closeness. For example, found a family game night, new tradition, or schedule regular, periodic outings with just one child at a time, to help the child feel special and important.
• Establish realistic expectations e.g. getting to know your stepchild as a person. Love with your stepchild will hopefully grow, though the process will likely be gradual, not instant.
• Practice effective positive communication skills with your spouse, biological children, and step-children.
• Understand stepfamily dynamics through reading and talking to a therapist specializing in working with stepfamilies.
• Plan dates with your spouse. Time alone as a couple will help keep your relationship and your family together.

The following groups will be starting soon:

1. Women in Stepfamilies, a 6 week support group for stepmothers and biological mothers. Come share and learn practical tools to increase your stepfamily success.
2. Men in Stepfamilies, a 6 week support group for stepfathers and biological fathers.
3. Surviving Divorce Successfully, an 8 week support group to end the isolation and learn to create a happy, satisfying life for yourself.

I would like to thank you for helping make 2006 a busy and productive year for me. I am looking forward to 2007 as being successful, both personally and professionally, for all of us. I wish you continued growth, wellness, love, and happiness in all your endeavors in general, and with your stepfamilies in particular.

Next Issue: Tips for Women in Stepfamilies

Upcoming Issues: Nurturing the Couple's Relationship & Tips for Men in Stepfamilies

Sign up for Yaffa's FREE monthly online newsletter: "Tips For Stepfamily Success"
Name:
Email:

Coming soon:

A Guidebook to a happy stepfamily life.



Want an easy way to grow and manage your opt-in e-mail list? Try aweber.com