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About Yours, Mine and Hours: Relationship Skills for Blended Families

Yours, Mine and Hours: Relationship Skills for Blended Families is a practical, must-have book for any parents living in or considering forming a blended family. Authors and spouses Shona Welsh and John Penton have lived the very real challenges of blending five children – three his, one hers, and one theirs – into a cohesive, loving family. The approaches and advice in the book are based on their unique Recipe for Blended Family Success®: Marriage, Acceptance and Communication.

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Go to www.yoursminehours.com for more information

Overview of Yours, Mine and Hours

Part 1 – The Recipe for Blended Family Success®

Chapter One – What is the Recipe for Blended Family Success®?

The Recipe for blended family success®
Marriage
Acceptance
Communication

Part 2 – Marriage

Chapter Two – Put Your Marriage First

Why put your marriage first?
What do you want from your marriage?
What it looks like when your marriage doesn’t come first
What it looks like when your marriage comes first

Chapter Three – The Four Pillars of Marital Success

Your children’s job is to grow up and leave you
Your own good marriage is a gift to your children
Your own self-esteem
Your own safe haven

Chapter Four – Time, Space and Black Holes

Establishing and maintaining connection
Protected time
Protected space

Chapter Five – Creating Your Family Vision

Going ‘outside the lines’
Family rules and behavior
Parenting and discipline
Family traditions

Part 3 – Acceptance

Chapter Six – Paving the Road with Good Intentions

Common challenges for blended parents
That guilt thing
Shoulding on yourself
Why worry is pointless
Dealing with the super mom/super parent syndrome

Chapter Seven – Resistance is Futile

Start with reality
Free yourself from fear, reaction and worry

Chapter Eight – The Ten Laws of Acceptance

Understand that you can only change yourself.
Notice where you’re existing.
Beware of frozen judgments.
Embrace your dark side.
Commit to transparency.
Force self-reflection.
Practice enlightened selfishness.
Admit when you’re wrong.
Pick the right hills to die on.
Make the first move.

Part 4 – Communication

Chapter Nine – Managing Alien Communication

Status vs. support
Independence vs. intimacy
Advice vs. understanding
Information vs. feelings
Orders vs. proposals
Conflict vs. compromise

Chapter Ten – Tune Into Your Family’s Radio Station

The WIFM Approach
Don't try to convince them
Using WIFM for discipline and rewards

Chapter Eleven – Stop Talking

Establishing your ‘Do Line’
Becoming an Action Hero
Creating a Family Pact
The Wiggle Room

Chapter Twelve – Send in the Coach

Socrates was right
They’re not trying to tick you off on purpose

Part 5: The Way Forward

Chapter Thirteen – Points to Ponder