Blended Family Podcast

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   Setbacks are a part of life, but when they affect our blended family, they can feel insurmountable. This week, I have 5 tips to help you overcome setbacks with ease.   Accept and acknowledge the issue Dont place blame Find your strength Give it time Find what you can learn from the experience   Also enjoy some motivational quotes on overcoming setbacks!   It doesn’t get easier you just get stronger   I don’t pay attention to the world ending. It has ended many times and began again in the morning   One small crack does not mean you’re broken, it means you were put to the test and you did not fall apart   It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light   Go as long as you can, and then take another step.   Affirmation: Setbacks Motivate Me Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Se

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   Oftentimes, people can make us uncomfortable when it comes to their reactions to our blended families. Strangers can approach us with questions or stares. Simple outings to a park or restaurant can prompt reactions from others. Other times, an ex or even in laws can make us feel uncomfortable too. Some of this just comes with being part of a blended family, but we still need to know how to manage it, and how to not take it personally. Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for my monthly newsletter  

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Dealing with difficult people is a part of life. When a difficult person is part of your blended family, whether a partner, an ex spouse, a child or stepchild, things get more complicated. We cannot always cut that person from our life.  Instead we need to learn methods of how to deal with them, and how to manage our own emotions.   Also, another family interview! I speak with Matthew Cochran from Tampa Florida. He tells us all about his own blended family.   Check out his podcast, Beauty and the Beard here Check out his podcast, the MJC podcast  here Check out his facebook group called Tactical Dads here Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for my monthly newsletter  

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   Cassie Parks is a best-selling author, champagne lover and lifestyle design strategist. Her passion is helping her clients create a life they love quickly and easily.   In this episode, she tells us how to use the law of attraction to create the blended family you’ve always dreamed of. Some topics we discuss What is the law of attraction (LOA) Cassie’s personal story of how LOA worked in her own life How we can use it to help our blended family Common mistakes and how to avoid them And much more! To connect with Cassie Parks: Visit her Website Manifest it Now Podcast Happily Ever After Podcast Connect with her on Facebook Connect with her on Twitter Connect with me: Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   Starting a new school year can be hard on kids, especially if they are starting a new school. There are ways we can help them ease into it, so they can have a successful year. My five top tips for this are Establish a routine Help them get organized Familiarize them with the school Monitor your own emotions Communicate regularly   Also listen to a new family interview with our listener Amy Osowski! Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for my monthly newsletter

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   Lauren Jean is a single momma, author, and podcast stylist. Thru her obsession with her own podcast and self development she discovered that teaching and connecting others are her superpowers. She is putting them to the test now through her signature program passion to pod which trains podcaster wanna be’s to voice their message through their very own podcast. Lauren is also a fellow listener, and joins the show to tell her personal break up story. She knows the pain of deciding to end a relationship and break up a blended family. She shares Her personal story Problematic issues in her relationship When she knew it was over How the break up affected the children And much much more   Lauren's story is hers only, and not intended to tell other families what to do. She is just here to tell us that sometimes things don’t work out, and life goes on. Connect with Lauren   Listen to her podcast on stitcher Listen to her podcast on itunes Connect o

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   In blended families, it’s common to be concerned about how all of the children will influence one another. Even though this is normal behavior, you still want to control it, because bad habits are not what we want our children picking up.   Also, listen in on our first family interview, where we learn more about one of our listeners and their blended family. This week we feature Debbie Harmon. If you are interested in participating in one of these interviews, please email me for more information.   Debbie's  blog Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for my monthly newsletter

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   Julie joins me on the show to talk about her book How to raise an adult: Break free of the overparenting trap and prepare your kid for success   Julie Lythcott-Haims served as Dean of Freshmen and Undergraduate Advising at Stanford University, where she received the Dinkelspiel Award for her contributions to the undergraduate experience. A mother of two teenagers, she has spoken and written widely on the phenomenon of helicopter parenting, and her work has appeared on TEDx talks and in Forbes and the Chicago Tribune. She is pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing at California College of the Arts in San Francisco.   You will hear us talk about What motivated her to write the book Where this shift in parenting came from Why our children lack basic life skills Where the school system is failing us How to work with different parenting styles Why divorce causes overparenting How do we turn things around Damage that overparenting causes   Connect with J

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   Do you ever feel like your children are ruining your life? Or do you feel like they are ruining your dream of a perfect blended family? Parenting is hard, and managing a blended family is a huge challenge. We all struggle with feelings like this. Some of the issues you might be dealing with are Sleep deprivation Lack of spontaneity Lack of a social life Lack of sex life Unorganized home Health problems Career struggles Financial struggles Overpaying child support Manipulative children   Don’t struggle with guilt, we know you love your kids, but they just don’t make it easy sometimes! Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for my monthly newsletter

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   It’s very common to struggle with insecurities in a blended family. Whether you are a bio parent, a stepparent, or a child, you all may experience some form of insecurity. In this episode, we will talk about the different types of insecurities, and what we can do to help eliminate them from our life. Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for my monthly newsletter

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   We all tend to feel a little insane over the summer, especially when managing a blended family! In this show I’ve got some tips for you to help you keep the kids busy, keep yourself calm, and stay sane while the kids are out of school! Listen to my interview on the BadBoy Breakthrough Podcast here Check out Lorna’s Badboy Breakthrough podcast on itunes Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for my monthly newsletter

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   It’s not discussed as often, but many blended families struggle with issues pertaining to their adult children. Whether about financial concerns, splitting time, wills, or mistreatment of a partner, the issues are very different than what we deal with when children are young. In this episode, I’ll discuss some common struggles and what to do about them. Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for my monthly newsletter

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   There are things in our lives and blended families that frustrate us. Some of these things we have power to change, but many we do not. There’s no sense in focusing attention to the things we have no control over. In this episode I give you a simple exercise to help you determine what deserves your attention, and what doesn’t.   Create a master list of everything in your life that you you wish you could change or improve.   Then each item gets placed on one of three lists titled: Things I can change Things I might be able to change Things I cannot change   On the first two lists, write action steps for each item. These are things you can do to improve or change the situation. Then you implement those action steps in your life to create change!   The last list, you are going to put away, and drive all of your focus away from it. Focus all of your energy on the positive and on what you have the power to make better! Join the Private Facebook Gr

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   Kate Anthony is the incredible mom, coach, and personal development superstar behind “How To Not F*ck Up Your Kids.” Kate uses her 20+ years of personal and professional experience to help moms uplevel their emotional intelligence, become better parents and raise happier, healthier kids. With both her group and 1:1 programs, Kate offers her clients a breadth of expertise, tools, and skills for customized results that make the greatest impact on their lives.   In this interview, we cover Kate’s personal story The most common issues Kate's sees in her work Why blended families could really benefit from this program Why it’s so important to fix these issues Kate's coaching program Why she works mostly with women Kate’s manifesto Kate’s upcoming podcast   Check out Kate here Website Facebook Instagram Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback t

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   My husband Shawn joins me on this episode to discuss the recent Pulse shootings in our home state of Florida.   We also discuss Father’s Day, and Shawn gives some advice to other dad’s, and mom’s too! To Donate to Pulse victims GoFundMe #OrlandoStrong Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for my monthly newsletter  

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   Dealing with conflict is a life skill that has less to do with resolving the problem, and more to do with how we handle it. Sometimes we can fix things, but when we can’t, we need to know how to cope and live our life. We can’t control others, only ourselves and how we deal with things. Blended families can be full of conflict, especially when dealing with exes. Learn some ways to manage conflict  in this episode. Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for my monthly newsletter

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com   My husband Shawn joins the show to discuss wedding details. We talk all about the recent nuptials including our most favorite and least favorite parts, our exes involvement, how we included the children in the ceremony, and much more. Plus Shawn helps me answer a listener question! Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for my monthly newsletter

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Celebrities are just like us! Many of them are balancing blended families, and on this show, I’ve got a list of ten for you.   Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Steve Harvey and Marjorie Bridges Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen Brad pitt and Angelina Jolie Terry and Rebecca Crews Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher Kris and Bruce Jenner Huffington post article about Jada Pinkett, click here Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for my monthly newsletter  

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com We all make mistakes in blended families, and it’s important to learn how to grow and move past them. It’s never too late to start over. Some common mistakes we make in our family relationships are Thinking you’re always right Trying to change someone Pleasing others at the expense of yourself Expecting others to know what we want Not managing anger Not giving ourselves time Neglecting relationships Feeling guilty   Three steps for successfully fixing a mistake are Acknowledge the mistake Apologize for the mistake Learn and grow from the mistake Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sign up for my monthly newsletter  

melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com In honor of Mother’s Day, I am joined with Ami Brown, who is Shawn’s ex wife. We talk about all kinds of things, such as   Her personal story What it was like when we met Jealousy, and why it’s not helpful Her advice for bio moms Lessons she learned over the years Some listener questions Her career   Ami is an inspiring woman and a true example of what it should look like to be a bio mom in a blended family. My hope is that her story (and ours together) helps to inspire others to create a peaceful family.   Connect with Ami Shea Rose Photography website Shea Rose Photography Facebook page The Zen Den Facebook page Twitter @therealami You can also find her in our facebook group Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Sig