Taking the Stepfamily Plunge: Add Value to Stepfamily Life by Being Vulnerable by Mary T. Kelly, MA
You met a great guy—the kind of guy you’d been waiting for. He had so many of the qualities you wanted that you couldn’t believe your good fortune in finding him. Sure, he had kids. But he was worth the extra effort. You had no idea (nor could you possibly have imagined) that partnering with this wonderful guy would take you down a road of vulnerability like no other.
And, at some point, you were not only sharing your life with your new partner. You also started sharing it with his children.
Many of you may have found out (much to your surprise!) that the same children you got along with before you married or moved in with their father suddenly turned against you—when they realized you’d become a permanent fixture. Though once open to you and in your relationship with them, time and experience have taught you that they no longer feel safe to be around.
So, you’ve built a wall around your heart to protect what’s left and isn’t otherwise ravaged and burned. …To read the rest of this article log in to your account and download the March 2016 issue. Don’t have an account? Click here to subscribe.