The absolute worst mistake any stepmom can make is to simply put on a brave face and accept all that is being thrown at her, whether it is being bad-mouthed by the ex and her family or regularly disrespected by her stepchildren. The second worst mistake is not speaking up and having her feelings heard, acknowledged, and, ultimately, resolved. The third worst mistake would be not taking ... Read the Post
Experiencing an Identity Crisis as a Childless Stepmom
I had sold my home to move in with my then-fiance/now-husband and his daughter in his hometown, a town I was unfamiliar with about 30 minutes away. Logistically, it made sense for our family. Krista wouldn’t have to change schools, and it was closer to the building Kevin and I worked in. Emotionally, I was distraught. I had worked so hard to be able to purchase my first home. I decorated ... Read the Post
Surviving the Minefield of Stepparenting Teens
No stepparent wants a medal, but it’s fair to say they certainly deserve one when it comes to stepparenting teens! Parenting teenagers is full of challenges at the best of times—stepparenting teens is invariably a minefield. It doesn’t matter what your stepparenting relationship is with your stepchildren. Puberty, hormones, and highly strung emotions combined can create chaos. In my ... Read the Post
You don’t need to be the teacher, stepmom!
I was meeting with a stepmom coaching client a few days ago, and she expressed her concerns about sending her stepchildren back to school during the COVID-19 pandemic. She didn't want to homeschool or orchestrate virtual learning for her stepchildren during her partner's custodial time, but she felt cornered. Her partner thought it would be safer for the children to stay home than return to the ... Read the Post
Being a Stepmom: Expectation vs. Reality
The number one cause of frustration I see in my stepmom coaching clients? Unmet expectations. The reality of being a stepmom bears little resemblance to the role they envisioned. When a stepmom expresses frustration that the stepmom role is so different than she expected it to be, I remind her that nuclear families and stepfamilies are not the same and require different skillsets, level-set ... Read the Post
Implement a “Blended Family Council” to Bring Some Normalcy Back to Your Home
These are strange times, friends. If you feel like you've lost your grip on everything around you, you're far from alone. (And if you're reading this blog post in 2021 or beyond, please tell me things get better!) I don't know about you, but I have spent the past few months feeling like I lost the ability to make decisions for myself and my family. Feeling nervous to step outside. Feeling ... Read the Post