Staying Connected with Your Child After Divorce

If you’re a stepparent, you may have discovered that blending two families is harder than you thought it would be. You’ve tried “everything” to connect with your stepchildren, but nothing bears much fruit, and you’re discouraged.

We’re offering you hope on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Staying Connected with Your Child After Divorce.” We’ve invited Lauren Reitsma to be our guest. Lauren is Vice president of Strategy and Communications for The Center for Relationship Educationin Denver, CO. She also has firsthand experience as a child of divorce.

Lauren’s family was tight-knit, and her parents were very involved in the church and community. But her world turned upside down in middle school when her parents separated after almost 20 years of marriage. Her dad remarried a few years later, and her mom remarried a few years after that.

Lauren coped with the divorce through performance, to prove to the world that a child of divorce could rise unscathed from the ashes of her broken family. But in college, Lauren’s strength to keep her pain buried gave out. Emotionally exhausted, Lauren finally acknowledged the hurt the divorce had caused her.

Lauren Reitsema will help you see your divorce through your child’s eyes so you can strengthen your blended family. She’ll draw out common themes, so you can better help your child or your stepchild adjust to their new blended family.

Tune in for our conversation on your local radio station, online, on Apple Podcasts, via Google Podcasts, or take us with you on our free phone app.

If your marriage or family is in crisis, I encourage you to speak with one of our caring Christian counselors. It would be their privilege to offer you a free consultation. Call us, leave your name and number, and they’ll get back with you just as soon as possible. The number during business hours is 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).

Before I close, I want to remind you about Hope Restored. If you’re on the brink of divorce, these marriage intensives can go a long way toward facilitating healing between you and your spouse and bringing restoration to your relationship. The intensives take place in three locations: Branson, MO; Greenville, MI; and the WinShape Retreat Center in Rome, GA. The number for Hope Restored is 1-866-875-2915, or visit online.

Lauren Reitsema’s book, In Their Shoes: Helping Parents Better Understand and Connect with Children of Divorce, is available for a gift of any amount. Visit our website for more information.