"Lions and tigers and bears ... (yawn). Try a toddler, a tween and a teen — oh my.

Toddlers can be tough, tweens a challenge, and teens, well they can be downright exasperating. I have the fortune of having one of each under my roof at the same time. And I'm not alone.

According to the American Blended Family Association, approximately 2,100 new blended families are formed daily in this country accounting for more than 20 million such households. With an ever-growing number of second marriages and blended families, age spans that include first teeth and first-time drivers are not unusual, but they can be grueling."