Students: Chapter 11
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Flashcards
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In Print
Erdrich, L. (1995). The blue jay's dance: A birth year. New York: Harper Collins.
This book is a memoir of Louise Erdrich's own transition into motherhood and her experiences during her daughter's first year of life. The book reflects the extent to which a baby can consume a mother's energy and influence the relationship between a mother and her husband.
Maisel, E. (2000). Twenty communication tips for families: A 30-minute guide to a better family relationship (20 communication tips). Novato, CA: New World Library.
This book provides 20 straightforward and easy tips to improve communication within the family. Each tip is followed by a brief explanation and suggestions for putting the tip into action in your own communication.
On the Web
As the official website for the National Stepfamily Resource Center, this site summarizes research, laws, and policies on stepfamilies. In addition, the site also describes educational programs, services, and resources to help people cope with the struggles that sometimes arise when stepfamilies are formed.
This site provides information about gay families in the U.S., as well as resources to help gay families facilitate civil unions and adoptions.
On Film
Columbus, C. (Director). (1999). Stepmom.[Motion picture]. United States: Hollywood.
This feature film depicts the struggles that family members, especially children, face when one of their divorced parents decides to remarry. Siblings, Anna and Ben, are reluctant to accept their father's fiancé as a fixture in their lives. Their biological mother also creates problems for the formation of this new stepfamily.
Cholodenko, L. (Director). (2010). The kids are alright [Motion picture]. United States: Focus Features.
In this film, a lesbian couple struggles with the idea of allowing their two children who were conceived by artificial insemination to develop a relationship with their biological father. Conflict erupts as the father becomes more involved in the children's lives and secrets are discovered.