Our Stepfamily Life
Should Stepmoms/Bonus Moms be celebrated on Mother’s Day?
When a stepmom is told she is not the “real” mom, it can hurt, especially on Mother’s Day. But aren’t a stepmom’s experiences real?
Holidays
When the Holidays Just Aren’t “Fun” For a Stepparent
We all want to enjoy ourselves on holidays, especially after the rough blow that 2020 has brought! Yet, no matter how good our intentions are, the holidays can tend to bring out some of our deepest frustrations, hidden wounds, most delicate insecurities, and simple — but very real — annoyances. Read more…
Our Stepfamily Life
When We Get Lost in the Heaviness of Parenting
Sometimes the day feels so hard; it seems like they’ll never grow up. Will they always resent us, say no to us, be disrespectful, not care? The future feels so far off when we are in the trenches of training, teaching, molding, mentoring… And we get lost in the today. Read more…
Tips For Stepmoms
Your Job Isn’t to be a Superhuman, Stepmom
Hey Stepmom, your job as a stepparent isn’t to be a perfect stepparent. Your job isn’t to be a superhuman. You’re not even called to replicate the biological parent!! And above all, remember — you’re definitely not supposed to be the ultimate “meeter of every need.” No. God made that Read more…
Tips For Stepmoms
Let’s Talk About Respect
I had just sat down to join my family for dinner after cooking and serving everyone,” one stepmom began. “As soon as I sat down, my (future) 7-year old stepson said, ‘but I wanted a drink!’” This stepmom continued by expressing how livid she was when her fiancé didn’t put Read more…
For All Moms
When a Kid Just Wants Dad
“Just Dad can come in. I am really mad.” Knowing that I am a stepmom, you might assume that this note was left for me by a disgruntled stepchild. You might assume that, as the stepmom, I had done something to upset the child. Or you might think that Dad Read more…
For All Moms
5 Steps to Keep Your Sanity When The Kids Are Fighting All Day!
You’ve been stuck inside your four walls for a while now during quarantine. You’ve been making extra meals, dolling out extra snacks, cleaning up extra piles and possibly even homeschooling the kids. Maybe you’re working from home, or trying to parent the kids from your workplace via cell phone. You Read more…
For All Moms
How On Earth Are We Supposed to Maintain Friendships During Quarantine?
But alas, unless you remain 6-feet apart to uphold social-distancing standards, the prospect of seeing our mom friends in person will be like watching that last pack of toilet paper get snatched out of your grasp on aisle four!
Stepdaughter Stories
3 Tips for Stepmoms to Survive the Teen Eye-Roll Phase
In our first year of marriage, my stepdaughter turned 13 and was in 7th grade. To be honest, that was a good year. The following year, however — 8th grade — now, that was hard! I saw a lot of eye rolling that year. And there was a lot of Read more…
Tips For Stepmoms
When You Don’t Relate To Your Stepchild
We all know that it’s easier to get along with a stepchild when we relate to him or her as a person. It’s easy to love lovable people, right?! But what if that stepchild is our polar opposite? What if she does things totally backwards from how we would? What Read more…