Official Review: Stepping TwoGether by Nancy Landrum
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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Stepping TwoGether" by Nancy Landrum.]
Stepping TwoGether: Building a Strong Stepfamily is an informative guide with practical solutions by Nancy Landrum. Landrum reveals that she and her late husband considered calling it quits before learning positive communication skills and defining the specific challenges facing stepfamilies. She shares stories from stepfamilies who have seen success after years of struggling as well as the perspectives of two stepkids. The book includes guidelines for parenting, evaluating and improving communication skills, providing safe boundaries, and realistic steps for healing relationships.
Landrum dislikes the term "blended" to describe stepfamilies: "We are not thrown into a blender and magically come out as a tasty, lovable treat. 'Blending' does not usually happen in a stepfamily." Her concise handbook stands apart from similar parenting books due to her conversational writing style, hands-on approach, and interviews with stepfamilies, beginning with her own. Landrum doesn't simply offer advice; she gives readers a firsthand glimpse into the lives of families who have applied her techniques. The book is organized, well-written, and professionally edited and includes quizzes, resources, and evocative questions for readers who want to strengthen their relationships and parenting skills. Readers will relate to Landrum's catchy subtitles, such as "How to Manage a Crazy Ex (without becoming crazy yourself!)" and creative analogies like comparing poor communication to termites that "erode the stability of a stepfamily from within." End-of-the-chapter "Building Task" exercises and "Coming Up..." introductions to the following chapters are a few more of the book's helpful features.
I particularly liked Landrum's contrast between stepfamilies and "first-families." She provided insight into how expectations as a stepparent need to be approached differently. I also appreciated that Landrum offered plenty of examples that supported her ideas. For instance, she suggested moving into a new residence rather than moving both families into one of their existing homes. She gave an example from her family; they sold her late husband's home and used the money to renovate her home to accommodate the larger family. Landrum shared that although the large home was functional, her children didn't fully relinquish their emotional ownership, and her stepchildren "never really felt like it was theirs."
My only dislike was that I found occasional random capitalizations distracting, such as: "Parenting decisions motivated by Guilt, Pity, or Fear rarely (or never!) result in healthy choices." Editing incorrect capitalizations would improve the book's professional appearance.
Overall, I rate Stepping TwoGether4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to readers with stepfamilies, including parents, kids, ex-spouses, and grandparents. Some of the information related to communication and relationship skills may also appeal to a wider audience. The book contains no profanity.
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Stepping TwoGether
View: on Bookshelves
Stepping TwoGether: Building a Strong Stepfamily is an informative guide with practical solutions by Nancy Landrum. Landrum reveals that she and her late husband considered calling it quits before learning positive communication skills and defining the specific challenges facing stepfamilies. She shares stories from stepfamilies who have seen success after years of struggling as well as the perspectives of two stepkids. The book includes guidelines for parenting, evaluating and improving communication skills, providing safe boundaries, and realistic steps for healing relationships.
Landrum dislikes the term "blended" to describe stepfamilies: "We are not thrown into a blender and magically come out as a tasty, lovable treat. 'Blending' does not usually happen in a stepfamily." Her concise handbook stands apart from similar parenting books due to her conversational writing style, hands-on approach, and interviews with stepfamilies, beginning with her own. Landrum doesn't simply offer advice; she gives readers a firsthand glimpse into the lives of families who have applied her techniques. The book is organized, well-written, and professionally edited and includes quizzes, resources, and evocative questions for readers who want to strengthen their relationships and parenting skills. Readers will relate to Landrum's catchy subtitles, such as "How to Manage a Crazy Ex (without becoming crazy yourself!)" and creative analogies like comparing poor communication to termites that "erode the stability of a stepfamily from within." End-of-the-chapter "Building Task" exercises and "Coming Up..." introductions to the following chapters are a few more of the book's helpful features.
I particularly liked Landrum's contrast between stepfamilies and "first-families." She provided insight into how expectations as a stepparent need to be approached differently. I also appreciated that Landrum offered plenty of examples that supported her ideas. For instance, she suggested moving into a new residence rather than moving both families into one of their existing homes. She gave an example from her family; they sold her late husband's home and used the money to renovate her home to accommodate the larger family. Landrum shared that although the large home was functional, her children didn't fully relinquish their emotional ownership, and her stepchildren "never really felt like it was theirs."
My only dislike was that I found occasional random capitalizations distracting, such as: "Parenting decisions motivated by Guilt, Pity, or Fear rarely (or never!) result in healthy choices." Editing incorrect capitalizations would improve the book's professional appearance.
Overall, I rate Stepping TwoGether4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to readers with stepfamilies, including parents, kids, ex-spouses, and grandparents. Some of the information related to communication and relationship skills may also appeal to a wider audience. The book contains no profanity.
******
Stepping TwoGether
View: on Bookshelves
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