Parenting Tips for Stepmoms: My Kids + Your Kids = Parenting Together by Christina Roach, LMHC, NCC, DCC
The 1970s TV sitcom “The Brady Bunch” presented a skewed view of stepfamily life. Despite the fact that Mike and Carol Brady each brought three children into their marriage, they never seemed to argue about how they parented each other’s kids.
Whether they were interacting with their biological children or their partner’s, everyone simply seemed to get along. And any antics that did surface were nicely resolved by the end of each episode.
You and I both know that this portrayal of stepfamily life couldn’t be farther from the day-to-day reality most stepmoms live. Add to this the fact that each partner brings their own kids into the equation and you’re faced with figuring out how you will parent together— both as parents and as stepparents—without lobbing accusations back and forth. Accusations like:
◃ “The rules seem to change when your kids are here.”
◃ “You let your kids run wild, yet you expect mine to be perfect.”
◃ “How come you don’t hold your kids accountable but are so hard on mine?”
Reaching an agreement in parenting styles can be a daunting task. But it is doable! …To read the rest of this article log in to your account and download the April 2016 issue. Don’t have an account? Click here to subscribe.