The happy stepcouple How couples with stepchildren can strengthen their relationships

Experienced therapist and stepmother Katz advises those (re)marrying with children. Her message is simple: settle for less than perfect, and you will be happier. Katz explores the myths of supposedly ideal blended families, in which all children happily accept new family structures, and adults are all on great terms, eagerly spending time with one another. Citing research that claims only 20-percent of stepchildren feel close to their stepmothers, Katz cautions women that they will have a much harder time than anticipated in their new families. While the book does include perspectives from men in heterosexual relationships as well as same-sex couples, much of the advice centers on women entering into a marriage with a man who has children from another relationship. Overall, Katz emphasizes that the couple in question needs to be in a healthy, communicative, secure relationship before they can anticipate success with their stepchildren. Because of many examples drawn from her therapeutic work, readers will likely identify themselves in these pages and come away with new ideas for reducing conflict in their homes.