It's a challenge to be a stepparent, no matter how good your intentions are. Maybe we've seen too many "wicked stepmother" stories that there is an assumption of the stepparent as being the enemy.
As soon as a new "parent" arrives in the family, the children start carving out territory. Then the adults get in on the act. Before long Nike Odyssey React Mens Australia , the battle lines are drawn. As the kids struggle to defeat the stepparent, their biological parent is emotionally torn between kids and new spouse.
Psychotherapists have a name for it, "triangulation." Think of a triangle with three sides. That's what's happening in the classic step-parenting drama: you Cheap Nike Odyssey React Womens Australia , your spouse and kids are triangulating on every issue. It's just constant upheaval in the home.
Kids always try to come between their parents. From toddlerhood, they instinctively know the principle of "divide and conquer". When the parents are divorced and there's a stepparent in the home, the game gets more intense.
Now the kids have a strong basis to create division Nike Odyssey React Womens Australia Sale , the old "blood is thicker than water" principle. And it's natural for a parent to rise to the defense of his or her child. But when that's a husband defending his child against his wife, the stepparent, it's setting up a huge conflict on two fronts - spousal and parental.
In step parenting as well as traditional parenting Nike Odyssey React Womens Australia , the spouses must find agreement and present a united front to the children. Even if they disagree, the couple must agree to disagree in private out of ear range of the children. Never let the children know that they can divide you, because they will attack like hungry predators.
The couple must also decide who disciplines whose children. There needs to be basic rules that can be applied by parent or stepparent. Then the kids know that there's no appealing for a reprieve. Break basic rules and the consequences apply equally. That also gives the stepparent authority that the parent will back up.
Step parenting is challenging enough on a good day. The couple has to remember that strengthening and affirming their commitment to each other is the best way to create family unity. The step family is only as strong as the marriage. Author's Resource Box
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NAIROBI, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of youth from South Sudan and Uganda have benefited from a skills development initiative funded by international charities to help reclaim their lives and involve them in peace and reconciliation processes.
The Qatar Royal family and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for peace and development, Forest Whitaker, have financed this education and mentorship program to help rebuild lives of youth from conflict zones.
A statement issued in Nairobi on Thursday said the new skills development initiative for Ugandan and South Sudanese youth is supported by Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser of Qatar's Education Above All (EAA) foundation in partnership with UNESCO special envoy and American Hollywood actor Forest Whitaker.
It added that the partnership aims to create a large pool of skilled and patriotic youth from the two eastern African nations that are grappling with poverty, natural disasters and sporadic conflicts.
"We are delighted to enable young people to share their knowledge and equip others with the skills they need to rebuild their communities jeopardized by war, poverty and conflicts," said the statement
It added that youths who have benefited from the skills development initiative have contributed immensely to peace and development in their respective communities.
Whitaker hailed the potential of education and mentorship to transform lives of youth from post conflict zones.
"We are helping young people from Uganda and South Sudan become a force for peace in their communities. We want them to amplify the message that education is a gateway to peace and prosperity," Whitaker said.
He revealed that hundreds of youth from South Sudan's eastern Equatorial region and Northern Uganda who have benefited from the education initiative are now involved in a range of peace building activities in their native countries.
Hidita Scovia, a South Sudan youth who has benefited from the skills development initiative said education can be a vehicle for fostering cohesion and peace.
"By acquiring education, it will be possible for children and youth to engage in productive activities rather than anti social behavior like war and crime," Scovia said.
She vowed to utilize vocational skills to contribute to her country's rebuilding.
The impeachment of South Korea's embattled President Park Guen-Hye in a snowballing corruption case inched closer Monday when the main opposition party said it was examining its options.
The move comes the day after prosecutors named Park a criminal suspect in a major influence-peddling case www.odysseyreactaustralia.com , tightening the noose on an already hugely unpopular leader.