Understanding and Loving Your Bonus Child

Twenty-first century how-to advice embracing and celebrating the nonbiological parent and his or her "bonus" children, from the author of the internationally best-selling Understanding Your Child series, and host of New Life Live!, the nation's number one Christian call-in counseling show.

Nontraditional families now outnumber nuclear families in the U.S.—including blended families.

Statistics show that approximately 40 percent of all married parents nationwide have children from a previous marriage or relationship. If you’re one of them, you didn’t just find a partner when you got married—you got a bonus!

As beautiful as that is, the situation also comes with challenges. Not only do you have to find your footing with your new spouse—which takes time, patience, and communications even when no one else is in the household—you must navigate those relationship with your and/or your spouse’s children as well. Not to mention that if you and your new spouse both have children, you must help them work out their issues with each other!

Syndicated radio hose Stephen Arterburn gets questions about this from listeners all the time, so he’s partnered with Connie Clark to help adults with bonus children

• manage their own stress, and help their children manage theirs;
• overcome common difficulties;
• develop healthy communication patterns and interpersonal skills;
• find common ground with their new spouse with issues arise over the ids, and
• find ways to have fun and increase happiness together.