Podcast Episode 84: From Solo Parent to Blended Family

Our guest on this episode, writer and mom Amanda Lee, shares about the struggle she had emotionally after her marriage ended. Like many people who find themselves separated or divorced, she faced a lot of shame and guilt around her new status as a single parent. Our society really reveres marriage and it can be quite isolating when all your friends are married couples. This was even doubly so for Amanda who lives half a world away from her family back in Australia. But after proving to herself just how strong she is, Amanda met her partner Andrew and now has a newly blended family. She also shares her advice on blending a family in a sensitive way that takes care of everyone’s needs.

Here are some great resources related to my discussion with Amanda.

Amanda’s website

Amanda’s Contribution to the 1000 Families Project, On the Family Dinner Table

JK Rowling recounts her memories as a single mother “

Blending Families: The Tricky Parts of Making Two Families into One

Amanda’s Favourite Parenting Advice
“There’s a Khalil Gibran quote, actually, that Andrew has said to me a number of times throughout the years we’ve been together ‘Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.’

It’s the line, “they come through you but not from you” that really sticks with me because it made me realize they are my children but they have their own journey and they are their own people. That helps me when they’re not with me […] when they’re having experiences that I’m not a part […] You need to learn to let them go and let them be their own people.”

Sponsor for this Episode:

This episode is brought to you by Wise Bites, makers of healthy, allergy-safe snacks that are great for the whole family and perfect to send to school. To get free shipping on a case, go to wise-bites.com and use promo code THENEWFAMILY at checkout!.

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