Although it seriously stretches the dessert analogy, The Scoop on Blended Families provides a solid overview of issues related to families merging through marriage, from changes in living arrangements and house rules, to sharing a room with new siblings and figuring out what to call a “new” parent. Combining illustrative—though staged—scenes of a newly created family together with narration by an ice cream shop waitress who listens in on a group of teen patrons who meet weekly to discuss their own step-situations, the program explores potential trouble spots (feelings of helplessness, privacy issues, or the absent parent's loneliness, anger, or remarriage), while also introducing the SCOOP strategy of handling related stress: Supportive respect, Communication, a “double-scoop” of Optimism, and Patience. Also touching on the benefits of stepfamilies (such as more presents [!] and reduced parent arguments), this program offers an encouraging reminder to children of divorce that life does indeed go on, while also taking a realistic approach to dealing with changed circumstances. Highly recommended. Aud: E, I, J, P. (J. Williams-Wood)
The Scoop on Blended Families
(2006) 16 min. VHS or DVD: $49.95. Learning ZoneXpress. PPR. Color cover. Closed captioned. ISBN: 1-57175-242-0 (dvd). Volume 21, Issue 5
The Scoop on Blended Families
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