Info and support for blended families

Posted on September 30, 2014 by 40 Mile Commentator

By Carlie Connolly

An information series, which will help to provide information and support on issues that arise within blended families will occur from Oct. 1 to Nov. 5 at the Redcliff Public Library.

This is the second year Redcliff community services and family community and support services (FCSS) will be offering this course and having six-week sessions that last around an hour and a half.

Some examples of a blended family are divorced parents who integrate with one or more families. If the one of the partners gets remarried, that is considered blended.

Some examples of the courses include parenting and type, creating trust, mastering conflict, achieving commitment, embracing accountability and focusing on results.

Parenting and type is the first session in the series and involves discovering the type of each member, gaining an insight into how parenting influences the behaviour of the children. Then comes learning how to parent each child in ways in which they will naturally respond and accept.

Creating trust is about whatever the family can create and go forward in trusting relationships.

Mastering conflict is finding a way to work through any issues in the family and working on resolving those issues together within the blended family.

Achieving commitment talks about how to follow through with relationships as a blended family. Rough patches are inevitable, but it’s about mastering those rough times and continuing on.

Embracing accountability is about the willingness of family members in a blended family to remind each other when they are not living up to standards of the family. This also means that members within the family are willing to call each other out on behavioural issues when they arise. 

Focus on results refers to the goals on where the family would like to see themselves down the road and working towards those goals together.

Registrants who wish to take part in this series can register through the community services department in the town of Redcliff will take place in the Redcliff Public Library.

Jonelle Gladue, community services clerk said that with this program being the second year they are offering it, its been growing in popularity since the last one with a need to explore.

“Last year, it was fairly popular so that’s why we brought it back.”

Redcliff community services partners with DREAMS (developing Redcliff educational and mental health supports) to put on these programs at a low cost or free. These particular six week sessions in the series are completely free and open to all wanting to join.