30. Should stepparents WANT authority with their step-kids?

Authority — it's a tough subject in blended families.  

Who has it…who doesn't?  Who should  have it…and who shouldn’t? 

There's so much conflicting advice out there about this it can make your head spin!  And one big "message" that seems to have made its way into the mainstream is that authority should NOT belong to a stepparent. 

But, is it that simple? 

I (Mike) used to talk a lot about Authority Vs. Influence, but as I've come through 19 years now of raising and relating to my step-daughter — and as I connect with more and more couples I'm discovering that we need a different "message". 

I think the question isn't, "…should I have authority with my step-kids?"

The real question is, "…how can I build HEALTHY authority with my step-kids?" 

And a different question requires a different answer.  So that's what we're exploring in this episode.  You'll listen in on an honest conversation between Kim and I as we re-think this whole subject.

You'll Discover:

• The three key elements of building trust (a major key in developing healthy authority)
• Some fun ideas for creating relationship
• What to do when you "mess up"
• And the two most important things Bio-Parents need to do to help their partner build the healthy authority you're BOTH hoping for

Resources from this Episode:

• Episode 4 — Can You Overcome Your Parenting-Style Differences?
• Episode 28 — What if What You Think is Defiance is Actually Something Else?

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