The Smart Stepfamily: 7 Steps to a Healthy Family

When stepfamily life gets tough, remaining dedicated to your commitment is a day-to-day decision.

In The Smart Stepfamily, leading expert Ron L. Deal reveals the seven fundamental steps to blended family success and provides practical, realistic solutions to the issues you face as a stepfamily. Whether married or soon-to-be married, you’ll discover how to communicate effectively and solve the everyday puzzles of stepchildren relationships. This revised and expanded edition is 50% new and has updated research and two new chapters with more real-world advice on stepsibling relationships and later-life stepfamilies.

• Recognize the unique personality and place of each family member
• Solve the everyday puzzles of step parenting and stepchildren relationships
• Learn communication skills to deal with ex-spouses
• Honor families of origin while developing new traditions
• Invest the time to grow their stepfamily slowly rather than look for instant results

Based on Ron’s nationwide stepfamily seminars, this book is also great for small groups, pastors, and counselors. A Small-Group DVD Resource as well as a Participant’s Guide are also available.

“I highly recommended the first edition, and I am even more excited about this new edition.”
—from the foreword by Gary Chapman, PhD, author of The Five Love Languages

“The Smart Stepfamily is the best book available for stepfamilies that I’ve seen. . . . Buy it, read it, and share it with a friend.”
—Dennis Rainey, president, FamilyLife®, and author of Stepping Up

“Ron Deal has, by far, the best material available on stepfamilies. The insights and suggestions he shares work. Every stepfamily will benefit from reading this book.”
– H. Norman Wright, Licensed marriage, family, and child therapist, founder of Christian Marriage Enrichment, author

“We’ve pointed countless couples to this outstanding resource. And this revised and updated edition is better than ever!”
—Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, founders of MarriageMentoring.com and authors of Saving Your Second Marriage Before It Starts

“I love this book! It adds an important dimension to the understanding of stepfamilies and reads as if sitting down with wise friends. Written on the ‘information is power’ premise, The Smart Stepfamily weaves together a review of biblical materials, current psychological and sociological research, best practices, practical insights, and anecdotal stories to educate and support stepfamilies and the clergy who serve them.”
–Dr. Margorie Engel, president and CEO, Stepfamily Association of America

Ron L. Deal is Director of FamilyLife Blended™ and President of SmartStepfamilies.com. He is a family ministry consultant and conducts marriage and family seminars around the country; he specializes in marriage and stepfamily enrichment. Ron is author of the bestselling book and DVD curriculum The Smart Stepfamily and author/coauthor of The Smart Stepmom, The Smart Stepdad, and The Remarriage Checkup.

He has extensive experience training pastors, ministry leaders, and counselors and has appeared on dozens of national radio and TV broadcasts in the US, Canada, and the UK. Ron is considered a leading voice in stepfamily education and ministry and in the prevention of redivorce. He and his wife, Nan, have been married since 1986 and have three boys. For more information visit RonDeal.org.