Updated: September 2020 Blending a family requires a lot of work to strengthen the family bond. Discipline can be a point of contention in a blended family. And, those differences in parenting styles can literally make a couple split up if you don’t take measures to build strong relationships and to ensure that your marriage bond is strong. Find out how to make a blended … [Read more...]
3 Ways Our Blended Family Went From Broken To Blessed
Updated: September 2020 Sometimes, becoming a successful, happy blended family can be a struggle. Personally, Lamar and I began with feeling blessed to desperately trying to save our relationship from totally breaking down. Thanks to God's blessings and some humility from the both of us, we were able to save our family from ruin. Here's our little story of family blessing … [Read more...]
My Boyfriend is a Deadbeat Father, Should I Marry Him?
Dr. Buckingham: I hope you and your family are doing well. My boyfriend has three kids with three different women. The first two he had when he was 20 and the kids are 7 months apart. He said he did not know the other woman was pregnant until the first baby was one year old. He lived with the mother of his second child for 5 years and they broke up because she wanted him to … [Read more...]
Should I Commit to Marrying a Woman With Six Children?
I usually do not share my business on social media because people are too judgmental, plus I grew up with the ole school saying, “What happens in my house stays in my house.” However, I am lost and need some guidance. That old saying is not helping me out so I decided to write you. I am going to get straight to the point. Should I Commit to Marrying A Woman With Six … [Read more...]
Recap: 13 Most Pivotal Moments in Black Culture in 2016
[tps_header]With weeks away from 2017, we wanted to look back on the year of 2016. For many African Americans, there were several monumental events in 2016 that have influenced our world. We've had some highs (an introduction to the Simones) and some lows (the deaths of our legends). So here's our tribute to 2016. Let us know what moment in history touched you the most. 13 … [Read more...]
How God’s Sense of Humor Healed My Blended Family; Plus, 5 Tips for YOU
Many people ask, "how did you make your blended family work?" With so many couples turning to divorce in our society, I can see how this perplexes folks. My prayer is that these five tips will help you in this journey called LIFE. 1. Pray!!!! I am so serious about this. Bringing children and a spouse together is a totally different dynamic, which can make or break a new … [Read more...]
The #ForeverDuncan Couple Share Their Successful Strategies to Merging Their Blended Family
Remember #ForeverDuncan? Last month, the Internet fell in love with the courageous proposal and same day wedding ceremony for Alfred and Sherrell Duncan. The video of the surprise ceremony captivated social media for weeks, and the couple became an overnight phenomenon. So now that the dust has settled, we wanted to catch up to see how the Duncans were adjusting to … [Read more...]
Fakers, Haters and Deal Breakers—Keeping Outside Influences Outside of Your Blended Family
Blending a family is hard work. Trust us, we know. We've had to deal with differences in discipline on top of the common hurdles newlyweds face. But what we've found is that one of the biggest threats to your marriage and your blended family is outside forces. The people who make up these outside forces are what I like to call, "fakers," "haters" and "deal breakers." If … [Read more...]
Wait! Did Alicia Keys Just Release the Blended Family Anthem? Be Prepared to Weep, Ya’ll
Over the weekend, Alicia Keys released a beautiful song about her blended family. As you may recall, Alicia Keys formed a blended family with husband, producer Swizz Beatz's, who had three kids before their marriage—one with ex-wife and singer-songwriter Mashonda. Some of the lyrics include touching declarations of love for her stepchildren: Hey I might not really be your … [Read more...]
Singles; How I Prepared Myself to Be a Wife—and You’ll Never Guess Who Helped
Often times marriage prep would require you to do some kind of soul searching or learning from your elders, who have been married for a long time. But I've come to find out that those are not the only ways. I had no idea that in just a short amount of time I’d be learning about marriage by living with my younger sister. I thought I had it figured out for the most part in … [Read more...]
From Single Mother to Wife – 3 Tips for Making the Transition
I was a single mother for 11 years, with 2 young sons, before I got married. They were 11 and 6 years at the time. I didnt plan for my life to turn out that way but it did. My life as a single mother was not terrible. Harder, yes. but not terrible. I had a good job, new car, owned my own home, etc. I worked hard and I played hard. Things had not worked out with my son's … [Read more...]
[Internet Teaser] Blended: The Unspoken Truth About Stepfamilies
BMWK family we're set to release two new films before the end of 2014 and we can't wait for you to see them. Since this is Blended Families Week here on BMWK we thought it would be the perfect time to debut the first internet teaser for our upcoming film that deals with blended families. We feel that blended families are the biggest issue facing marriages today, but no one … [Read more...]
How Do You Answer Your Child’s Questions About Your Blended Family?
One day recently I picked up my 14-year-old daughter from her grandmother’s house with my 5-year-old son in tow. As we waited for my daughter, my son wandered into another room and returned holding something behind his back, a look of horror plastered across his face. “Mom!” he said, “ What in the world is this!” He pulled a photo from behind his back. It was a picture of me … [Read more...]
Blend Family Week: 3 Phrases to Never Say to a Blended Family
I grew up in a blended family due to my parents marrying one another after previous marriages, then having me. They both had children from their previous marriage, which one, my older brother, lived with us. My older brother and I are literally night and day. He is 6’4, 250 lbs, and I am 5’7 140 lbs. It was very evident when you saw us together that we weren’t full blood … [Read more...]
Why Living in Blended Families was a Gift and a Curse for Me
My father has always had a tumultuous time with women. Being such, my brother and I have had the experience of being raised in a few blended families. As is true with most experiences, it was both a gift and a curse. My parents divorced after 15 years of marriage while I was six and my brother was twelve. My father retained custody of both my brother and I. After … [Read more...]