Experience of creating blended family

Take Heart AUTHOR: Chloe Shorten PUBLISHER: Melbourne University Press RRP: $32.99 REVIEWER: Mary Ann Elliott

DAUGHTER of Quentin Bryce, the former Governor-General and new wife of ALP leader Bill Shorten, Chloe Shorten, discusses her experience of creating a blended family.

Looking far and wide for “how-to” books on step-parenting, Chloe was surprised at the lack of helpful information and unprepared for the tripwires that lie in wait for the inexperienced.

She therefore forged her own path to creating a “new normal” of family life, with the help of sensible advice from family, friends and experts in this relatively untapped field.

She was heartened by the resilience of her children from her former marriage and buoyed by Bill’s love and support.

Families nowadays come in all shapes and sizes, combining into new homes, with blends of children and parents from different backgrounds, routines and environs.

This comes with all manner of challenges, such as responsibility, respect, trust, discipline, acceptance and love.

A stable routine becomes central to connecting and building the ties that are so essential to a harmonious environment.

Traditional and stereotyped roles of parents are breaking down in today’s world.

Stepfamilies are nothing new though. Remarriage following death or divorce has been with us since ancient times.

However, customs and policies are still focused on nuclear families; today we need a more flexible approach to family issues.

Chloe quotes the poem by Dorothy Nolte: “Children learn what they live.”

This is practical and heartfelt advice which Chloe and Bill try to live up to, in a society that still often stigmatises any situation that doesn’t fit the cookie-cutter model.

Indeed one can “take heart” from her sincere and honest account of life as a step-parent.

Her book is uplifting and inspiring