Our first a 2002 Ford Explorer, the gear shift broke off in the steering collum, 1000.00 later we had it fixed. The car got totaled and we got another, this time an Eddie Bauer, the shifter again got hard to get into park without a little extra effort, now it will not go into park at all. I am afraid to break it again. Would this have anything to do with the brake pedal not being depressed enough?

The transmission interlock normally enters the picture, when you are shifting from Park into gear. That's when you should depress the brake for 5 seconds first.

Is it the same from gear into park, 5 seconds?

This is a new one for me. I'm unaware of problems going from gear into Park.

Try putting your foot on the brake for 5 seconds, before shifting into Park, and see if that solves the problem.