Matthew Richards

Understanding Your Role in a Blended Family Entering a blended family means stepping into an existing dynamic one shaped by history, emotions, and deeply rooted relationships. It’s important to know where you fit and how to build trust without forcing it. You’re Not a Replacement Parent and That’s Okay Your stepchild already has parents, and

Why Consistency Between Homes Matters Kids don’t thrive on chaos. When one house has a strict bedtime and the other treats midnight snacks as normal, it sends mixed messages. Children aren’t just decoding rules they’re trying to make sense of where they fit. And when expectations shift daily, it gets confusing fast. That confusion can

Understand the Root Causes Step sibling conflicts don’t come out of nowhere. Most of the time, they’re sparked by simple, day to day stressors: sharing a bedroom, clashing routines, or feeling sidelined by how a parent’s attention is divided. These aren’t unusual. In fact, they’re expected. But when that tension becomes chronic or personal it’s

Why Parenting Styles Clash in Blended Families No two people are raised the same. One parent may come from a strict, structured home where rules were non negotiable. The other might’ve grown up in a more relaxed setting, where mistakes were lessons, not punishments. Put those two together, and their approaches to discipline can feel