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Posts Tagged ‘stepfamilies’

Three Must Read/See/Do’s for Stepmoms

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Ladies,

The following article by Wednesday Martin, web series by Claudette Chenevert and radio show by Peggy Nolan and Erin Erickson are MUSTS!

Enjoy!

1) SOCIAL SUPPORT- that’s “friends” to you and me- IS YOUR SECRET WEAPON

“In a stressful situation your best bet may well be to find some supportive friends, and then hang on like hell.”

Expert advice from friend and colleague Wednesday Martin, author of Stepmonster. Read the full article HERE

2) THOUGHT OF THE WEEK SERIES by Claudette Chenevert, Coaching Steps

It is important to be completely aware of the messages that you are sending through your body language, choice of words, and even your tone of voice. We speak volumes with our facial expressions, even by the way we look or don’t look at the other person.

Keep in mind that your words account for only 7% of the message you are sending. That means that 93% of your communication is through your body language and the tone of your voice.

55% of the message you communicate is through your non-verbal cues – your body language. Your facial expressions and your posture actually say more to the other person than the words you speak.

38% of what you are communicating is expressed through your voice. When speaking, your tone of voice emphasizes and validates what you are really feeling.

Next time you have something important to say, consider not just your words, but also the message you are conveying through your non-verbal communication; it speaks the loudest of all.

Claudette Chenevert is the Stepmom Coach and founder of Coaching Steps LLC. She can help you navigate the untraditional path of stepparenthood. Get tools for creating the family life of your dreams by visiting http://www.coachingsteps.com/7steps/

3) BLOG TALK DIVA RADIO

Are you at your wits end being a stepmom? Tired of feeling like you’re doing everything and get nothing in return? Are you tired of playing second best to your husband’s kids and their mother? Want to learn WHY you feel the way you do? Join Peggy Nolan and Erin Erickson dish tips, tools and advice with Wednesday Martin.

Monday, March 1st from 8:00pm – 11:00pm

To listen to the show and call in with your questions FOLLOW THIS LINK

Okay, maybe one more…

4) STEPMOM MAGAZINE GIFT SHOP

The StepMom Magazine’s Gift Shop is open for business! Travel mugs, t-shirts, grocery totes and even doggie tank-tops!

Start shopping HERE

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Tags: Expert Advice, peggy_nolan, stepfamilies, stepfamily, stepmom_advice, stepparenting_advice, the_erin_experiment
Posted in Step News | 1 Comment »

What makes a stepfamily different from a nuclear family?

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

The Susan Swanson on Step Radio Show Premieres Today, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009, 11:00 – 11:50 a.m. PST

Today’s discussion: What makes a stepfamily different from a nuclear family?

LISTEN HERE

Listeners may call in during the live online broadcasts to ask questions at (310) 715-6709. Alternatively, listeners may submit questions for future shows via e-mail to leslie@stepfamilycenter.com.

Susan Davis Swanson, LCSW, BCD is the Executive Director and Founder of The Stepfamily Center in Beverly Hills, California. She is a noted authority on issues involving divorced and remarried families and has spent over 15 years working with remarried couples helping them understand, communicate and problem solve the issues that are part of StepFamily life. Susan holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from California State University at Long Beach and is licensed to practice as a clinical social worker in California. She holds Board Certified Diplomate status in her field. Susan was recently awarded Cambridge’s Distinguished VIP award.

Susan publishes a monthly newsletter, “StepFamily Life” which can be obtained through her website at www.stepfamilycenter.com. She is published in the “Clinical Update”, a periodical for Clinical Social Workers in the State of California and provides continuing education for therapists on working with stepfamilies.

Enjoy!

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Tags: stepfamilies, stepfamily, stepfamilycenter, stepfamily_life, susan_swanson
Posted in Podcasts, Step News | 1 Comment »

HBO looking for kids: special on divorce and stepfamilies

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

hbo_family HBO Family is currently developing a children’s special on the subject of divorce and stepfamilies. The program will feature several families as they find their way through a changing family dynamic.

HBO Family is inviting children, between the ages of 4 and 8, to be potentially interviewed. They will talk with kids about families and love and ask about strategies that help them through hard times.

If you think your child might be comfortable sharing his or her thoughts, please email associate producer, Christine Turner at: christine.turner@hbo.com

Please include information about your child(ren) and something about your family’s circumstance. They also welcome any family portraits your children may have drawn.

Previous HBO Family specials include the award-winning Goodnight Moon & Other Sleepytime Tales, The Music in Me, and Classical Baby. These specials have featured kids talking from the heart about subjects like dreams, music, poetry and love. With this new children’s program, HBO Family’s goal is to provide an inspiring tool for other kids who are going through parental separation, divorce, and the creation of new families.

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Tags: children's_show, divorce, family, HBO_Family, kids, stepfamilies, television
Posted in Step News | 2 Comments »

Happy National Stepfamily Day!

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

natstepfamilyday

A note from Christy Borgeld, the founder of National Stepfamily Day…

It is my wish and my hope that this day will being awareness of the positive roles we play within our families. That all stepfamilies be accepted, supported and successful.

For some, merging two families comes with little effort, while others seem to have to scale the mountains and shoulder the pain for a lot of hurt. I hope today is a day to reach out, celebrate, make amends, and be together. It’s OUR DAY!!

If anyone is having a picnic or any other [stepfamily] activity today, take a picture, and send it to Christy at: nationalstepfamilyday@yahoo.com.

And last, I want to thank everyone who helped with promoting National Stepfamily Day.

Together, our voices will be heard!!

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Tags: christy_borgeld, National_stepfamily_day, stepfamilies
Posted in Step News | 1 Comment »

Join the Conversation!

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

switchboard

Have You Ever Wondered, What Exactly Did I Get Myself Into?

Join Stepmom Coach Claudette Chenevert and I for a fun, engaging and informative teleseminar Tuesday, June 23rd (that’s TODAY!) at 2pm Eastern/11am Pacific.

Call in, listen in and join the conversation. It’s FREE! Register HERE:

We’ll be talking about:

• How to keep your sense of humor in even the trickiest situations
• The importance of creating new traditions in your stepfamily
• Dealing with the EX
• How the image of the modern-day stepmom is changing
• My 21 rules of stepmotherhood, introduced in The Package Deal, that will help you keep things in perspective while preserving your sanity, including, Compromise But Don’t Sacrifice.

switchboard_single About Claudette

In 1990, Claudette became a stepmother to her husband’s two daughters. As a mother with a son from a previous relationship, she never thought that raising another man’s children would be that complicated. She thought that since she already was a mom, how more complicated can it be? She soon came to the realization that is wasn’t going to be as smooth of a ride as she thought.

She sought help but found that the advice given to help was helping her stepfamily situation or her sense of feeling like the outsider. After her last therapist suggested that they get a divorce and go each their own way, Claudette decided to do her own research and went back to school.

With her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology of Communication, she then trained with Stepfamily Foundation Organization to become a Certified Stepfamily Coach . Claudette continues her professional coach training through Results Coaching Systems and is working to get certification through ICF. She does speaking engagements and workshops on How to be a successful Stepmom, Communication and the Stepfamily and Dealing with Conflict within a Stepfamily home.

Claudette hears repeatedly how stepfamilies today wished they had had a coach like herself when they first merged their families together. Claudette’s vision is to help these families create the kind of strong healthy relationships within their families, so that future generations have positive role models of how successful stepfamilies work. She does this one conversation at a time.

Image courtesy of www4.nau.edu