Blending families can be complicated and challenging to navigate. The toolkit presented in Blended Families--Special Children explores the dynamics of stepfamilies caring for children with special needs and disabilities and presents the information in digestible nuggets ready for consumption by quintessential blended families who are juggling the demands of parenting.

You'll discover how to bond with your special stepchild and how you can recognize and embrace the differences, strengthen your family, and maintain a happy relationship with your spouse or partner so that all the children in the family unit will feel safe and content.

The 9-L model illustrated in Blended Families--Special Children explores the dynamics of stepfamilies caring for children with special needs and disabilities and presents the information in digestible nuggets ready for consumption by quintessential blended families juggling the demands of parenthood with caring for children with special needs.

Whether you have an established stepfamily or are in the early stages of a blended family, you can find value in the information presented. Here’s a synopsis of what you’ll discover:

• Launch–considerations for the early stages of your blended family
• Love–how to keep the love alive with your partner and in the family unit
• Listen–strategies for listening even when your child is nonverbal
• Laugh–techniques for building fun into your stepfamily

In addition to the 9 L’s, you’ll discover:

• State benefits you may be able to access
• The effect of challenging behavior on your stepfamily
• How cognitive disability can affect a child’s conduct

Also included is a chapter of real-life case studies from stepparents caring for disabled children. The experiences they share hold valuable lessons on issues that may arise and how they handled them in their endeavor to maintain a happy stepfamily.

The second book, Blended Family: A Guide for Stepparents outlines seven key factors that are often overlooked but have an adverse effect on stepfamilies. They are neatly arranged in the acronym BLUNDER - which is precisely what stepparents do when they fail to address or ignore the cited factors. Contemporary society is overrun with demands on parents who have to juggle various roles. But,if you pay attention to the elements outlined, the difference will be noticeable as you navigate this challenging but potentially enriching role.

And even if you think you've tried everything, consider these factors. You'll be surprised to find that these simple changes can make an impactful difference.