Three stepsiblings in a blended family discuss their experiences and those of friends with divorce and remarriage.

A clear and practical guide about divorce for parents and children.

Seventy now-adult children of divorce give their candid and often heart-wrenching answers to eight questions (arranged in eight chapters, by question), including: What were the main effects of your parents' divorce on your life? What do you say to those who claim that "children are resilient" and "children are happy when their parents are happy"? What would you like to tell your parents then and now? What do you want adults in our culture to know about divorce? What role has your faith played in your healing? Their simple and poignant responses are difficult to read and yet not without hope. Most of the contributors--women and men, young and old, single and married--have never spoken of the pain and consequences of their parents' divorce until now. They have often never been asked, and they believe that no one really wants to know. Despite vastly different circumstances and details, the similarities in their testimonies are striking; as the reader will discover, the death of a child's family impacts the human heart in universal ways.

If your parents divorced when you were a child, you may be wondering: Will I get divorced, too? Research indicates divorce is often passed down from generation to generation. Children from divorced homes are up to five times more likely to get divorced as compared to children whose families remained intact. It's time to end the cycle of divorce. Based upon two decades of interviews with over 400 adult children of divorce, this book will empower you to: Avoid the destructive relationship behaviors common to adult children of divorce Increase your ability to recognize what love looks like and what it doesn't look like Recognize the warning signs of a poor partner choice before you make a long-term commitment Create the successful, loving relationship you deserve This practical, no-nonsense guide is encouraging, optimistic and insightful. Through the use of real-life stories, it provides the valuable tools you need for a great relationship. Whether you're a teen embarking on dating and love, in your 20's, 30's or 40's with some dating history, or perhaps divorced already, it's never too early or too late to learn how to end the cycle of divorce.

Three stepsiblings in a blended family discuss their experiences and those of friends with divorce and remarriage.

Three children in a blended family explain to other kids the many ups and downs faced by the children of divorce. Jann Blackstone-Ford is the stepparenting expert for iVillage.

Your parents are growing older and are getting forgetful, starting to slow down, or worse. Suddenly you find yourself at the cusp of one of the most important transitions in your life—and the life of your family. Your parents need you and your siblings to step up and take care of them, a little or a lot. To make the right things happen, you will all need to work together. And yet your siblings may have very different ideas from yours of what’s best for Mom and Dad. They may be completely uninterested in helping, leaving you with all the responsibility. Or they may take charge and not allow you to help, or criticize whatever help you do give. Will you and your siblings be able to reach an understanding and work together, or will the challenges you face tear you apart? Most of us enter this period of our lives unprepared for the difficult decisions and delicate negotiations that lie ahead. This is the first book that provides guidance on the transition from the “old” family to the “new” one, especially for adult siblings. Here you’ll find practical advice on a wide range of topics including • Who will make major medical decisions, manage finances, and enforce end-of-life choices if your parents cannot? And how will this be decided and carried out? • How will you negotiate caregiving issues and deal with unequal contributions or power struggles? • How can inheritance and the division of property, assets, and personal effects be handled to minimize hurt feelings and resentment? • How will you cope with the natural reemergence of unresolved childhood rivalries, hurts, and needs? • How can caring for your parents be an enriching experience rather than a thankless chore? • Most important, how can you ensure the best care for your parents while lessening conflict, guilt, anger, and angst? Written by a veteran journalist who chronicles life and how baby boomers live it, They’re Your Parents, Too! offers all the information, insight, and advice you’ll need to make productive choices as you and your siblings begin to assume your parents’ place as the decision-making generation of your family. Filled with expert guidance from gerontologists, family therapists, elder-care attorneys, financial planners, and health workers; resonant real-life stories; and helpful family negotiation techniques, this is an indispensable book for anyone whose parents are aging.