218. How to Positively Influence Your Kids' Character When Your Ex Undermines Your Values
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If you’ve ever felt like the values you’re trying to instill in your kids get undone the moment they step into the other home, you’re not alone. We’ve been there—and we know how discouraging it can feel.
In this episode, we share a powerful tool we first learned from Ron Deal called the Inoculation Strategy. It’s a simple, practical way to prepare your kids to recognize and resist negative influences—without badmouthing or creating loyalty binds.
We’ll walk you through real-life examples from our own blended family journey, explain how to stay in the “neutral zone” while teaching important lessons, and encourage you to keep planting seeds of character even when it seems like they aren’t taking root.
Over time, your kids will internalize what you've instilled—and those intentional lessons will matter more than you think.
You'll Discover:
The “wild card factor” that often fuels conflict between blended family households
Two key realities you must accept before using the Inoculation Strategy
Practical ways to engage your kids by using movies, books, current events, and personal stories as teaching moments that count
How to avoid loyalty binds and protect your child’s wellbeing while guiding them toward positive values, character traits and life skills.
Resources from this Episode:
The Smart Stepfamily by Ron Deal
Episode 207. Four Myths About Parenting When Your Ex Has Different Rules
Ready for personalized support? Schedule your free coaching call
We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help. You can connect with us for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence, and connection in your home. Schedule your free call here: https://calendly.com/mikeandkimcoaching/freesession
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With so many episodes available here on the show, it might feel a bit overwhelming to find the topics that matter most to you. That's why we've created the Blended Family Breakthrough Quiz, which will direct you to the most impactful episodes that pertain to you personally.
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