Love and Relationship Advice Blog

If there's one thing that can kill a marriage or committed relationship pretty quickly, it's trying to blend two families together under one roof--especially when there are children involved.

Here's one woman's story about her struggles with her common law husband and our answer...

"My current common law husband doesn't not like my children. The only time he has any interaction with them, he is disciplining them. He tends to have a very firm approach to discipline and fails to see the good in them. I tried to explain to him that he is always coming across as the bad guy, because this is all the kids see. Also, to make the issue worse, he tends to place his own 18 year daughter (who doesn't live with us)on a pedestal. She can do no
wrong in his eyes. I constantly feel as though I have to defend my children when he is punishing them for something that should not even be an issue. I am constantly in the middle. I feel as though my feelings are NEVER a consideration to him. I keep myself completely removed from his daughter and any issues that arise. I feel it is not my business. Many times I am tempted to voice my opinion, but out of respect to him I will not. I am then left feeling that he should have the same respect for me. To make things worse, he has (for the past three years) gone to spend Christmas with his ex wife and daughter (over night). I feel it is time that he spends it here with me and my children, since he is a part of our household and daily life. Once again I'm left feeling as though he only wants to be a part of my kids life when they have done something bad (in his eyes), and doesn't want to share the good times. As much as I want him hear, if I insist he will be miserable thinking I am forcing him to be around when he'd rather not. He knows his daughter is more then welcome also. I don't believe he even gives her the option, and that he simply choses to be at her house (with her mother, his ex)."

Here's our answer...

Continue reading "When Your Step-Family is in Trouble--3 Ways to Resolve A Bad Situation" »

Posted by Susie and Otto Collins at 01:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

A few years ago, Otto had the opportunity to learn some powerful relationship advice and life lessons on a golf
course. We were having a mini-family reunion and Otto and a cousin Gary, a successful banking executive, played golf nearly all day on Saturday.

Whenever Otto is in the company of someone who is successful, he likes to play "20 Questions" to find out all he can about why and how that person is successful. That's what Otto did that day and what he learned from someone who isn't particularly "spiritual" or a "relationship expert" was remarkable.

Continue reading "Relationship Advice from a Round of Golf" »

Posted by Susie and Otto Collins at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Creating a blended or step-family is usually challenging to say the least. If you have your doubts, watch the movie, "Yours, Mine and Ours" and see for yourself!

Here's a question from one of our visitors and his honest feelings about his blended family situation...

"I am a 30 year old man who has recently entered into his third marriage. Both my past marriages ended because my wives cheated on me. The woman that I am married to is wonderful and I love her very much. We are expecting our first child together, her second, my fisrt in December. The problems for me have arisen due to her five year old daughter. I guess I feel like something is wrong with me. I just don't want her daughter around all the time. I get annoyed with her when she is constantly on me 24/7 following me around. The biological father is still in the picture and I don't want to get in the way of that. But to tell you the truth I hate changing my plans for him. I have begun to grow to resent my stepdaughter because of the other man. I don't want to treat her badly and want her to be happy as well. Everything seems to have gotten even worse for me now that my wife and I are expecting our first child. I need some advice on how to deal with this."

Here's our advice and we hope that it may also help others in similar situations...

Continue reading "Blended Families: The Challenges of 'Yours, Mine and Ours'" »

Posted by Susie and Otto Collins at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)