Blended bliss

Blending families rarely works as successfully as it did on "The Brady Bunch." To smooth the ride, follow this advice.

1. Step-parents have two roles: to be friendly to the teens of their new partners and to be supportive to their spouses regarding parenting tasks. Ask your new spouse, "What can I do to support you in your parenting role?"

2. The biological parent should be the only one doling out discipline; otherwise the teen may feel resentful. (Click here to find out if you are a pushover parent.)

3. Parents need to spend one-on-one time with their own teens, who often feel neglected as a result of family changes.

4. Keep old family traditions. Decide, with your kids, which ones you want to continue and celebrate them on your own with your biological kids.

5. Start new traditions as a blended family -- brainstorm about new rituals you'd like to start and listen to everyone's input.

6. Spend quality time alone with your new spouse. Focus on each other, not on your kids, during these times. (Click here to take our quiz: How to make your marriage last.)

7. Don't say negative things about your ex-partner to your children. When this happens kids often feel obligated to defend their other parent, delaying their feelings of anger or sadness about the split-up until months or even years later.