Unhealthy Coalitions
In families, coalitions can be helpful or destructive depending on who’s involved. A healthy coalition between Mom and Dad creates a strong parenting system that supports the children as they grow. But an unhealthy coalition between a parent and child against the other parent sabotages the authority of both parents and teaches children to manipulate. When this happens in stepfamilies it nearly always creates conflict and sabotages the marriage.
About the Host
Ron Deal
Ron L. Deal is one of the most widely read and viewed experts on blended families in the country. He is Director of FamilyLife Blended® for FamilyLife®, founder of Smart Stepfamilies™, and the author and Consulting Editor of the Smart Stepfamily Series of books including the bestselling Building Love Together in Blended Families: The 5 Love Languages® and Becoming Stepfamily Smart (with Dr. Gary Chapman), The Smart Stepfamily: 7 Steps to a Healthy Family, and Preparing to Blend. Ron is a licensed marriage and family therapist, popular conference speaker, and host of the FamilyLife Blended podcast. He and his wife, Nan, have three sons and live in Little Rock, Arkansas. Learn more at FamilyLife.com/blended.
Episode Transcript
Ron: Are there any unhealthy coalitions in your home?
Announcer: For FamilyLife Blended®, here’s Ron Deal.
Ron: You know, in business a partnership or a coalition helps both companies accomplish their goals. In families, coalitions can be helpful or destructive depending on who’s involved. A healthy coalition between Mom and Dad creates a strong parenting system that supports the children as they grow. But an unhealthy coalition between a parent and child against the other parent sabotages the authority of both parents and teaches children to manipulate.
When this happens in stepfamilies it nearly always creates conflict and sabotages the marriage. Hey, it’s okay to be close with your child, but when you team up against someone else—everyone loses. For FamilyLife Blended, I’m Ron Deal.
Announcer: To find out more visit familylifeblended.com.
FamilyLife Blended with Ron Deal is a production of FamilyLife.
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