Welcome everyone to Family Talk. It's a ministry of the James Dobson Family Institute, supported by listeners just like you.

I'm Dr. James Dobson, and I'm thrilled that you've joined us.

Well, welcome to Family Talk, the broadcast division of the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute.

I'm Roger Marsh, thanking you so much for joining us today.

During the next half hour, we'll be continuing a meaningful conversation about the unique challenges facing stepfamlies in America.

Now, on our last broadcast, our guest Laura Petherbridge began sharing insights from her book, The Smart Stepmom.

One particularly important point she made was about terminology and why the popular phrase,

blended family, might actually set up unrealistic expectations. Let's listen to what she shared.

I really don't like the phrase blended family. I know it sounds nicer than stepfamily. I know

that's why a lot of people use it because that phrase, sort of the Disney thing with the wicked

stepmom can have a negative connotation with it. I actually have a chapter in the book called The Wicked Stepmom, Did Disney Have Me in Mind?

So I played off of that.

But the phrase blend means that everybody's getting thrown into a blender together and getting all chopped up together.

And stepfamilies really don't blend.

They grow together over time with a bondedness over the years. So

that whole thought of all of a sudden we're going to be the Brady Bunch and everybody's going to

love each other instantly just as not realistic. And unfortunately, that sets the relationship up

for some conflict and failure if they've got that idea.

That insightful perspective comes from Laura Petherbridge, who joins us again today here on Family Talk.

Laura speaks from both personal experience as well as professional expertise.

As a respected authority on step

parenting, she's helped countless couples navigate the complex dynamics of remarriage.

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