Are you and your partner on the same team when it comes to parenting?
When two people get married, there are natural stressors that become apparent. When a child enters the picture, and there’s now parenting involved, certain marriage stressors are intensified. Let’s face it– there’s no manual for parenting. And while raising happy, healthy and confident children is the ultimate goal, there’s a lot of pressure that comes with it.
If a couple is frequently arguing about how to parent, much stress is added to the family unit and everyone ends up being miserable. If there’s constant bickering back and forth about logistics, there’s no room to create an atmosphere of warmth and support. Instead, there becomes an antagonistic way of interacting that puts everyone in the family on edge.
Today’s guest is Dr. Gabrielle Johr, a licensed clinical psychologist with Orenstein Solutions. Gabriella says the key to good parenting is team parenting, which means unfailingly supporting one another and bringing out the best in each other. And once the team mentality has been established, both parents become a model for cooperation and parenting becomes a little easier.
To find out more about Gabriella and her practice, visit their website or call (919) 428-2766 to schedule an appointment.
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In a marriage, what are the building blocks of trust?
According to the dictionary, trust is defined as “the assured reliance in the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.” Having it is a critical factor and also the main foundation for any relationship, whether it’s a friendship, a parent-child relationship, or a marriage. Once trust is broken and an individual no longer feels that he or she can rely on their partner, the bond of faith can be very challenging to repair and rebuild.
Within a relationship, trust issues can stem from a multitude of problems–anything from emotional or physical affairs and hidden addictions to secrecy and lying. However, more subtle behaviors from spouses like constantly being late, being unreliable, or being insensitive can also shake the foundations of trust and honesty.
Today’s guest, Dr. Sara Salter of Wynns Family Psychology in Cary, NC, says the way to build strong, lasting trust within your marriage is to focus on certain specific factors including communication, openness and empathy. In addition to those, Sara has other important pointers and tips on how to build and maintain an unbreakable level of trust within your marriage.
To find out more about Sara and her practice, visit their website or call (919) 467-7777 to schedule an appointment.
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Is there a way to gain respect from your stepchildren without turning into an evil stepmonster?
We’ve all heard the famous stepmonster horror stories… like that of the workings of Lady Tremaine, Cinderella’s wicked stepmother. And they don’t turn out well… for the stepmoms, that is. Luckily it doesn’t have to be that way in real life. You, in fact, can have wonderful relationships with your stepchildren without overstepping your boundaries but while also maintaining a level of respect and admiration.
In many situations, couples that are married for the second (or even third) time find themselves bringing children into the mix and wondering how to raise and guide the children when there’s more than two parents involved. Oftentimes there are many unrealistic expectations placed on stepfamilies that can lead to a chaotic family life and destruction of the relationship between husband and wife.
Today’s guest is Claudette Chenevert, author of 31 Days to Better Communication for Stepfamilies. Also known as the Stepmom Coach, Claudette is a Master Certified Stepfamily Foundation Coach helping families and stepmoms gain a better understanding of how to manage stepfamily life.
To find out more about Claudette and her work as the Stepmom Coach, visit her website or call (703) 915-2470 for one-on-one coaching.
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