Ah, The Brady Bunch. The lovable, large, made up family. Everything looked good, right?
Here’s the story of a lovely lady
Who was bringing up three very lovely girls…Here’s the story, of a man named Brady,
Who was busy with three boys of his own……Yet they were all alone.
Till the one day when the lady met this fellow
And they knew it was much more than a hunch,
That this group would somehow form a family.
The only thing missing from the show’s theme song is Mr. Brady’s beloved live-in housekeeper, Alice.
How did this blended family stay so strong? Some will say it was Alice. Cooking meals, caring for the kids while Mr. and Mrs. Brady were away. She told jokes and played games with the family, and she went on vacation with them, too.
But one day, after Mr. and Mrs. Brady got married, Alice thought she wasn’t needed anymore. She made up a story to slip away:
Not every blended family is so fortunate to have Alice. Putting two people into the same family is tough; add kids to the mix and things can get a little tricky.
How can your blended family stay strong without having Alice around?
A couple recently said, “We want to set an example for the kids going forward, to not go through what we went through.” After 7 years, they want their blended family to be a strong witness to the kids of how marriage can be.
You can be strong, too. Here are three ways to strengthen your blended marriage:
- Pregame: as soon as you start thinking about getting married again, sign up for a marriage seminar. The more you know, the earlier you start, the better the foundation will be for your new marriage.
- The Coach: 40% of married couples with children in the US are step couples. Find another couple you trust to mentor you and help you through the hurdles as they come.
- Victory Lap: The “honeymoon” stage won’t last very long, so it’s even more important to keep investing in your marriage. Find a way to keep “dating” — time together every day, a weekly date night.
See, you don’t really need Alice!
Do you know a blended family? Help them #StrengthenMarriage and send them an encouraging message. It might mean more than you know!
