169: Growing up Blended: The Hidden Grief Kids Carry

Blake Hudspeth grew up in multiple stepfamilies as a result of death & divorce and described his family to Ron Deal as pieced together. As a result, he struggled with complicated emotions and unresolved wounds well into adulthood.  Now, Hudspeth wants to help others who’ve grown up in complex blended family dynamics learn how to reconcile a difficult upbringing with hope for the future. He understands how to grieve a family he wanted but didn't have and the importance of forgiving his parents for their part in the instability of his upbringing, which created distrust and uncertainty for him. He advises parents that one of the most important pieces in helping their kids who are growing up blended is simply acknowledging the pain they are carrying. Show Notes and Resources Make plans to join us at the Summit on Stepfamily ministry in October  Send a donation to FamilyLife Blended  Get a copy of The Smart Stepfamily  Access for leaders to the tip sheet on ministering to students  See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy