Parenting expert Alyson Schafer shares her advice.

"A safe home and the necessities of life are also required, but love isn't."

Blended families don't feel in unison or in sync right off the bat; it's not something that happens overnight. It takes patience, love, understanding, compromising and time. In our case, it took us a few years before we felt in sync, like a real authentic family. Having a child on the autism spectrum made this journey even more delicate.

Divorce is hard to navigate. It's tough for both parents and kids. Many of you in this situation know that holidays can be tough. Sharing a child at any time of year is heartbreaking. Sharing a child during the holidays is heart wrenching, given that it's a time of fun and joy.