Why offer hope for step families?
Did you know that more than 40% of married couples with children (i.e., families) in the United States are stepcouples (at least one partner had a child from a previous relationship before marriage)?
Approximately 1/3 of all weddings in America today form stepfamilies.
42% of adults (approx. 102 million) have a step-relationship (either a stepparent, a step or half sibling, or a stepchild).
Unfortunately, 66% of those living together or remarried break up when children are involved, most within only 2-3 years.
75% of blended families complain of “not having access to support resources as a stepfamily,” according to a recent Stepfamily Foundation survey.
(US Bureau of Census as summarized by the Stepfamily Foundation, Inc., 2023.)
How we help
IndyBlended offers three separate workshops to support stepfamilies, “Preparing to Blend,” “Stepfamily Workshops,” and “The Fatherhood Challenge.”
The Preparing to Blend workshop is designed for engaged or pre-engaged couples who have at least one child from a previous relationship and want to enter a blended family marriage well. This workshop will offer wise counsel on topics such as parenting, finances, establishing family identity, and daily routines for the new life together. Participants will learn how to predict common challenges, define expectations, and create solutions through the establishment of a customized pre-marriage action plan. The framework for this workshop is based on the book “Preparing to Blend” by author Ron Deal https://www.amazon.com/s?k=preparing+to+blend&crid=2VUMWW8FNUK75&sprefix=preparing+to+blen%2Caps%2C177&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
The IndyBlended Stepfamily workshop equips stepfamily couples and couples considering re-marriage through interactive workshops designed to (1) identify and recognize the unique challenges of stepfamily living, (2) provide biblical guidance and practical resources leading to the creation of a customized stepfamily action plan for each of the participants, and (3) facilitate on-going support through connection with peers and mentors. The workshop content is equivalent to more than four months of focused stepfamily therapy or years of trial and error in stepfamily living representing < $1,000 financial value for the current cost of only $40.00 per participant.
The third type of workshop offered by IndyBlended beginning in the fall of 2025 is the Fatherhood Challenge Fatherhood Challenge. This workshop is for all dads (biological, stepdads, and divorced dads) and grandfathers. The primary goal of the Fatherhood Challenge is to equip and restore fathers to their God-given role as servant leaders of their families through practical training by a supportive network of like-minded fathers and trainers. The framework of this workshop is based on the Bible-based responsibilities of father to (1) establish moral authority, (2) provide security, (3) confer identity, and (4) affirm potential within their families.
Our next stepfamily workshop will be held at Second Chance Church in Plainfield, IN, Friday evening and Saturday, March 14th and 15th, 2025. We will provide snacks on Friday evening and a continental breakfast and lunch on Saturday. The price for the workshop is $40.00 per person. Click here to register: