Families In Blender?
Posted By: Liz Goodrich
Date Posted: 6/12/2007
In a 1994 study, Professor of Sociology Larry Bumpass of the University of Wisconsin found that half of the 60 million American children under the age of thirteen were living in a step family situation. Clearly, the United States has become a nation of step families. Through a partnership, the Deschutes Public Library and Family Resource Center welcome two parenting experts for three presentations at three Deschutes Public Libraries titled, “Blended Families Are Not Families In A Blender.” The presentations will highlight loving and rewarding techniques to blending, parenting, and enjoying stepfamily life.
According to Heather Rogan, one of the presenters, “it’s never too late to learn new skills for building a healthy family life.” Rogan, who works for the Family Resource Center as the Family Skill Coordinator, teaches a variety of parenting classes. She is a member of a blended family that includes step children, bio children and foster children. George Shackelford, the second presenter, is currently the counselor at Sisters Elementary School. He has lived in Central Oregon since 1978 and has been in private practice as a Child and Family Therapist for the past 20 years. Shackelford is also a member of a blended family.
Rogan and Shackelford believe in making your stepfamily strengths work for you. Focusing on specific relations within the stepfamily can lead to an understanding of both the problems and the potential of a stepfamily. The presentation will be based on the Strengthening Your Stepfamily curriculum by Elizabeth Einstein and Linda Albert.
For more information about this or other library programs, please call 312-1032.
Page Last Modified Wednesday, March 8, 2023