Friday, October 3, 2014

There is Hope for Stepparent Issues and Conflict within Stepfamilies


With stepfamily situations becoming an increasingly common set up nowadays, it is imperative that support be available to help them through the unique challenges and difficulties of merging families or introducing new parental figures to children’s lives. Organizations such as The Bridge Across are valuable in providing stepparenting help in Houston to couples and families who want a happier, healthier, and more stable home life for each other and for their children.
http://www.thebridgeacross.com/2014/09/27/hope-stepparent-issues-conflict-within-stepfamilies/

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Parental Alienation: What Houston Single Parents Must Be Aware Of


Organizations who offer valuable single parent help such as The Bridge Across provide support services and resources to help single parents not only deal with their situation, but also thrive for the benefit of themselves and their families. While the division of a home can have many consequences on those involved, research and countless personal stories of triumph have shown that families can definitely rise together above the inevitable challenges that come with separation.
http://www.thebridgeacross.com/2014/09/26/parental-alienation-houston-single-parents-must-aware/

Friday, September 12, 2014

Stepparenting Help in Houston: The 5 Words Every Child Needs to Hear


Much more than the gift of happiness, caring adults owe each new generation some perspective. I believe we must be willing to sacrifice their temporary happiness for long-term happiness — including preparing them to be disciplined adults themselves. Instead of pleasure, let’s prepare them for fulfillment. That is what I stress whenever I offer stepparenting help for Houston parents. What if we borrowed a page from the playbook of the past? A few years ago, Izquierdo and Ochs wrote an article for Ethos, the journal of the Society of Psychological Anthropology. They posed cultural questions like: Why do Matsigenka children “help their families at home more than L.A. children?” and “Why do L.A. adult family members help their children at home more than do Matsigenka?”
http://www.thebridgeacross.com/2014/08/08/stepparenting-help-houston-5-words-every-child-needs-hear/

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Houston Single Parents Coach Gives Workshops at NAMRE Conference 2014


Jayna Haney, coach to single parents in Houston and founder of The Bridge Across for Single Parents and Stepfamilies, conducted two workshops at the recently concluded Marriage, Fathering, Family & Relationship Education Training Conference in Frisco, Texas. The event allowed Haney, who is herself divorced and a stepmom, to share her insights on building healthy relationships in single-parent or blended-family households. Held from June 28 to July 2, the conference was organized by the National Association for Relationship & Marriage Education (NARME), a group that serves the interests of family and relationship educators around the country. During the five-day congress, participants were able to choose from among 68 workshops, of which Haney presented two.
http://www.thebridgeacross.com/2014/08/07/houston-single-parents-coach-gives-workshops-namre-conference-2014/

Friday, September 5, 2014

Dealing with Common Stepparent Issues: Relating to the Former Spouse


Relationships can be tricky, and adding stepfamilies or blended families into the equation can make them even trickier. In preserving relationships, facing common stepparent issues can sometimes require you to be an emotional athlete. However, overcoming obstacles and having a family that lives healthily and happily together can happen only if each party involved puts in effort. One common issue in stepparenting is dealing with the former spouse. In an article published in Philly.com, professional speaker and coach Cheryl Rice recounts her personal, unique story as a stepmom. She and her husband’s divorced wife were placed in a situation that neither of them would have wanted to be in. “People say that when you marry a man, you marry his family - usually referring to his parents. It's more when you marry a man with young children and a resolutely involved former wife,” Rice wrote.
http://www.thebridgeacross.com/2014/09/01/dealing-common-stepparent-issues-relating-former-spouse/

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Single Parents in Houston: Facing the Challenges of Raising a Child


Like those around the nation, single parents in Houston know the struggle of raising a child. At times, you have to face burdens alone, and at others, your ex-spouse may have a conflicting opinion. When you lack support systems, you could get burned out with all the tasks and responsibilities you need to accomplish. Sometimes, you can feel lonely, or find the need to forego what you want to do to prioritize your child’s needs. On the other hand, co-parenting may prove difficult and create more conflicts and stress instead of easing them. This can be especially true when your separation or divorce stemmed from negative or destructive feelings toward each other. You may find it trying to reach a compromise on various aspects of childcare.
http://www.thebridgeacross.com/2014/08/29/single-parents-houston-facing-challenges-raising-child/

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Facing up to Stepparent Issues: Knowing the Biological Father’s Role

Don’t be deaf and blind to the ways in which your step children compare your wife to your ex – the younger they are, the more vocal they’ll be about it. Even in the little ways you know how, show her how she is incomparable to whomever shared your life in the past, because she is your world now – and you should also help your kids understand this fact.

If you want to know more about your role as a husband to a stepmom or as a wife to a stepdad, there are many organizations that offer stepparenting help for Houston families, like The Bridge Across.

http://www.thebridgeacross.com/2014/07/14/facing-stepparent-issues-knowing-biological-fathers-role/

Monday, July 14, 2014

The Truth about the Lives Numerous Single Parents in Houston Lead

Single parenting’s challenges go way beyond the emotional toll. For instance, supporting the family is much tougher. Unless a single parent is receiving alimony and/or child support from an ex-spouse, he/she’ll practically be the sole source of sustenance for the children. Most individuals employ a lot of tactics just to make ends meet – doing more overtime work, taking on part-time jobs—and sometimes, it’s still not enough.

Task overload is also common. Cooking dinner, doing laundry, helping out with the kids’ homework, tucking them in to bed – on tougher instances, one has to do these things almost simultaneously. For this reason, a lot of parents feel chronically fatigued.

http://www.thebridgeacross.com/2014/07/11/truth-lives-numerous-single-parents-houston-lead/

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Stepparenting Help for Houston Families: Learning the Do’s and Don’ts

As with almost any rough road that you have to tread in life, the biggest mistake when it comes to stepparenting would have to be going at it alone. Your spouse should always be there to listen to your concerns and help you every step of the way. Moreover, you can also seek help with stepparent issues from trusted organizations like The Bridge Across.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Single Parents in Houston: Empowerment with the Support of Others

It comes as no surprise that many single parents in Houston, or anywhere else around the world, would welcome some help in their lives. Finances, childcare, and other parenting tasks become twice as difficult for a single mom or dad. Add these to an ongoing divorce trial or child custody battle, and one can expect a single parent feeling the weight of the world on his or her shoulders.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Need Single Parent Help? Effects of and Overcoming Obsessive Parenting

Most overprotected kids don’t respond well to minor life setbacks, and often struggle to manage disappointments. They also exhibit difficulty in taking responsibilities for their actions, since their parents often fight their life’s battles for them. Lastly, such children usually resent their parents’ almost authoritarian control over their lives, thus rebelling more than their normally parented counterparts.

If you’re a single parent who needs help in managing overprotective tendencies, it’s not too late to change. The Bridge Across offers single parent help and education to help you understand how you can help your children in the long term, despite the circumstances of being alone. Always remember that when you improve your own parenting, you end up easing your child’s journey through life as well.

http://www.thebridgeacross.com/2014/03/21/need-single-parent-help-effects-overcoming-obsessive-parenting/

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

The Challenging World of Stepparent Issues and How to Handle Them Well

You should also respect the children’s privacy. It takes time to establish rapport with your stepchildren. Lastly, you must never speak ill of your current spouse, and his/her ex-partner, no matter the circumstances. Always encourage interaction between the children and them.

For individuals struggling to maintain a positive relationship with their stepchildren, The Bridge Across offer professional stepparenting help in Houston and all other cities. While it may seem frustrating, don’t give up. Learn the real rules in a stepfamily context, so you can work through these issues successfully!

http://www.thebridgeacross.com/2014/03/20/challenging-world-stepparent-issues-handle-well/