My sister asked, “Can you come over and hang out with us next Thursday?” and I immediately replied, “I’m not sure, let me check our custody schedule and see if Krista will be home!” Several variations of this conversation occurred throughout my first couple of years dating a man with kids. I didn’t attend events, didn’t go out with my friends, didn’t visit my family, or do things alone, if we ... Read the Post
How Straight Stepmoms can be More Inclusive of LBGTQ Stepfamilies
By: Beth from The Inclusive Stepmom Outsider syndrome is one of the most common sets of emotions that plague stepmoms day in and day out. Sometimes we are forced onto the sidelines by the dynamics of our own stepfamily. Other times we’re made to feel like an outsider by society, thanks to the way it views nontraditional families and promotes the idealism of a nuclear family structure ... Read the Post
Stepmoms, Step Back!
As stepmoms, we often hear the phrase "step back," but it took me a while to understand what that meant. There's a lot of information (and misinformation) out there about the NachoKids method (often represented as "nacho kids, nacho problem"), which may work for some, but certainly isn't for every stepmom or every family. I'll be upfront and say that the NachoKids method is not for ... Read the Post
Why I Won’t Allow My Stepdaughter to Call Me “Mom”
I was saying my goodbyes to my sweet almost-stepdaughter as she prepared to catch her flight to the wedding destination, where we'd be reunited in just a couple of days. She hugged me extra tight, told me how excited she was, and assured me she would miss me until I saw her again. I told her I loved her and couldn't wait to officially be her stepmom—before we knew it, we'd officially be a family! ... Read the Post
Not a Bunch of Roses: When the Stepmom Becomes a Mom
Stepparenting is full of challenges. So is parenting. Becoming a mom is full of challenges that you can't even realize until you become one, no matter how long you have been a stepmom. I was a stepmom for a couple of years before I had my first child, a little boy who is now 12 years old, but I remember it all like it was yesterday. My stepson was 13 years old and my stepdaughter was 12 ... Read the Post
10 Things White Stepmoms can do for Social Justice Right Now
I don't feel comfortable posting stepparenting content this week when there are much bigger issues to address right now. I even feel uncomfortable publishing another white voice in this moment of minority empowerment, but I've seen so many of you asking in our private Facebook community what you can do, wanting to learn, wanting to do better, and I'm right there with you. There are ... Read the Post