Holidays are stressful enough! Throw in the blended family dynamic and a global pandemic and it can be pure pandemonium. Blended family expert and founder of Blended and Black, Coach Naja shares some tips on how to stay sane during this holiday season.
Share this…FacebookPinterestTwitterLinkedinby Nika Ward Did you know that June is World Infertility Month? If you’re a woman that has experienced infertility, you’re already are aware. Did you know that infertility is a condition that can cause post-traumatic stress disorder? After watching a recent Insecure episode, it really hit me how quiet the infertility community is […]
Share this…FacebookPinterestTwitterLinkedinAs a Black kid that grew up right under Tennessee’s Bible belt, there was an assumption that people that looked like me were not God’s chosen people. I was baptized under a beautiful stained-glass image of a White Jesus. Black babydolls were not very plentiful in the 80s, so my first images of beauty […]
Share this…FacebookPinterestTwitterLinkedin I’ve recently taken on an interesting challenge proposed to me by my White listeners, followers, friends, colleagues, and clients. I want to TRY to respond to the DMs, emails, and messages from White people that care enough to NOT want to err on the side of injustice. I pride myself on maintaining a […]
Share this…FacebookPinterestTwitterLinkedinCorona and Coparenting I’ve received many questions from single parents, coparents, and stepparents during this historic pandemic and my BEST piece of advice is to protect your household. Social distancing and quarantines are proven to be effective methods of limiting the spread of infectious disease BUT what do you do when your child lives […]
Share this…FacebookPinterestTwitterLinkedin HOW CAN WE BEST SERVE YOU DURING THIS TIME? A week ago none of us used the term social distancing, but this is our current reality. COVID-19 is taking its toll on our nation, our families, and our individual lives and I’d like to do my part to make this season a little […]
Share this…FacebookPinterestTwitterLinkedin Fall 2019 Founder, Blended and Black, Naja Hall attended the press conference for the National Parents Organization. NPO presented their Shared Parenting Report Card. They also screened the Erasing Family Documentary by Ginger Gentile. New York City and Rhode Island got a big fat F. What is your state’s grade? A study just […]
Share this…FacebookPinterestTwitterLinkedinAs with fairy tales, the stepmother is generally deemed as evil; Lady Tremaine in ‘Cinderella,’ The Queen in ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,’ Mother Gothel in ‘Repunzel,’ and last, but certainly not least, Maleficent. These scorned women often live in the shadows of a beautiful princess who sings with a voice so beautiful, […]
In the US, the divorce rate for 1st marriages has risen to 50%. The divorce rate for 2nd marriages is 67%. The relationships that produce children leave parent’s with the dilemma of each contributing to their child’s welfare while being in separate households. A #Blended Family is born but unfortunately, most Blended families never truly blend. Also 4 out of 10 children are born to unwed mothers. More and more parents have the task of raising their children in different households. These rising dynamics may make the #Nuclear Family the exception and not the rule. We are Blended and Black!
Share this…FacebookPinterestTwitterLinkedin I recently allowed my daughter, Kelcie to take over my Facebook page. As the precocious person that she’s been since birth, Kelcie presented her carefully curated argument as to why she should have an Instagram account. As a High School Assistant Principal, I have a uniquie vantage point of understanding the effects of […]
Share this…FacebookPinterestTwitterLinkedinHannah and Fard have ended their time as life partners and they’ve penned an excerpt that has the internet abuzz. In this day in age, especially considering the work I do, seeing new divorcees breaking bread is RARE. Here are 5 lessons learned in hindsight from Hannah and Fard. We wish their family love […]
Share this…FacebookPinterestTwitterLinkedin I realized that many of fellow StepSistas (stepmoms+sisterfriends) listen to my podcast because of my approach to stepmomming. After careful thought, planning and execution, I created a space just for us. It’s a site where I am pouring all of my stepmom tools, resources and content in one private community. There’s a discussion […]
Share this…FacebookPinterestTwitterLinkedin I recently chatted with my friend Brian Barnett. He is not only an expert on Borderline Personality Disorder, he’s actually rid himself of the terrible disorder that plagues 4% of Americans. This podcast takes an in-depth look at BPD and the people that it affects. Brian is proof that there is hope beyond […]
No one ever starts a family anticipating that it will split. Sometimes it is necessary though. As a divorced Dad, making the transition to a “new normal” was difficult. Naja has been my rock. Naja is not only my Wife, but she’s been a graceful presence while bonding with my kids. She has made herself a constant student on the subject of Blended families. She has an endless supply of empathy, patience and forgiveness. I am blessed to have my very own “Blended family guru!”
