128: When the Rules Change House to House: How Kids Navigate Values Across Two Homes with Bailey Oliver Blackburn, PhD
Ever feel like your stepkids are living in two completely different worlds? The rules change from house to house, expectations don’t always match, and somehow everyone expects the kids to make sense of it all.
In this episode, I sit down with researcher, professor, stepmom, and former stepchild Bailey Oliver Blackburn, PhD to discuss new research on co-parenting with different values and what happens when children are navigating two households with very different beliefs, expectations, and parenting styles.
Bailey shares insights from a recent study exploring how co-parents manage divergent values, the impact on children, and the communication strategies that help families reduce conflict and support kids without forcing them to choose sides.
In This Episode, We Cover:
- What happens when children are raised across households with different values and beliefs
• The surprising challenges families reported beyond politics and religion
• How parents can discuss values without putting kids in loyalty binds
• Why high-conflict co-parenting and parallel parenting deserve more research
If you’ve ever wondered how to protect your relationship with your stepkids while navigating differences between households, this conversation offers practical insights and plenty of reassurance that you’re not alone.
Resources Mentioned
Bailey Oliver Blackburn: https://www.baileyoliverblackburn.com
UA Little Rock Department of Applied Communication: https://ualr.edu/appliedcommunication/
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