Nearly two out of three re-marriages that come with children fail; this book will help your new family succeed! It"s essential reading for every woman who is navigating her way through stepfamily life. Karon Phillips Goodman"s new family went through some difficult times, but once she changed her approach to stepmothering, her family began to thrive. Now, mixing compassion and gentle humor, Karon shares those hard-earned lessons. She shows stepmoms that they can simplify their lives by focusing their precious time and energy on the things they can control and letting go of the rest. You"ll learn how to: * Turn unrealistic expectations into achievable ones * Understand the obligations you have and don"t have * Get your stepchildren to respect your authority * Use four powers to simplify your relationships * Set goals for your family, and for yourself * Communicate effectively with your family * Use three simple techniques to build a wonderful future Includes Karon"s real-life experiences and "Tales from the Blender¨ by more than two dozen other stepmoms. Plus an extensive resource list and a bibliography.