StepMom Magazine

Mother’s Day Dread: Inside the May 2018 Issue

Is Mother’s Day Dread Setting In?
10 Ways to Celebrate—Stepmom Style
BY JESSICA LEON, PHD, LCSW

Mother’s Day can be weird for us stepmoms. In addition to our stepkids, we may have children of our own. In addition to us, those kids may have yet another mom and/or stepmom. Our partners may not know how to navigate these issues. We, ourselves, may want or need to spend time honoring people such as our mothers, grandmas, aunts, sisters, friends and mothers-in-law. Continue reading “Mother’s Day Dread: Inside the May 2018 Issue”

Your Special Needs Stepchild: Inside the May 2018 Issue

Special Needs StepchildYour Special Needs Stepchild
Advice From Stepmoms in the Trenches
BY CLAUDETTE CHENEVERT

I don’t think I need to tell you that being a stepmom can be challenging, complicated, difficult, rewarding and fun. Maybe not all at the same time but, at some point point, those qualifiers usually come into play when you’re a stepmom. If you’re a stepmom to a special needs stepchild, that may require extra tools which some of us (myself included) may not have considered—until now. Continue reading “Your Special Needs Stepchild: Inside the May 2018 Issue”

Transform Your Stepfamily: Inside the May 2018 Issue

stepmom mastery moves10 Mastery Moves for Stepmoms
Lead Your Stepfamily to Transformation
BY IISHANA ARTRA, PHD

Do you ever just want to know what to do right now, preserving yourself and your stepfamily without having to reinvent the wheel or get crushed under it, in the process? It’s easy to imagine that the reported millions of stepmoms who quit their stepfamilies each year wish they had that knowledge sooner. My heart aches for them. Continue reading “Transform Your Stepfamily: Inside the May 2018 Issue”

Inside the April 2018 Issue

StepMom April 2018The April 2018 issue is HERE! This super-sized edition features 51 information-packed pages on topics including:

→ Advice for coping with infertility
→ Parental Alienation help from Amy J.L. Baker, PhD
→ How to deal with second wife syndrome and ex-wife drama
→ Guidelines for full-time stepmoms on guarding your heart
→ Strategies for getting kids to help with household chores
→ Help navigating your relationship with your mother-in-law
→ And much more!

Here’s the full list of what’s inside this month:  Continue reading “Inside the April 2018 Issue”

Full-Time Stepmoms: Inside the April 2018 Issue

Full Time StepmomsFull-Time Stepmoms
Strategies for Stepping Up Without Getting Your Heart Stomped on
BY BRENDA SNYDER, LCSW

The stepmom gig is changing. For many stepfamilies, gone are the days when his (or her) kids showed up as every-other-weekend visitors; when they sucked up your household’s attention, energy and resources for a few days at a time—during which everything seemed to screech to a halt, shift and evolve to suit the disruption. Continue reading “Full-Time Stepmoms: Inside the April 2018 Issue”

Parental Alienation Advice: Inside the April 2018 Issue

Parental Alienation AdviceParental Alienation Advice
Amy J. L. Baker, PhD, Speaks With StepMom Magazine
BY KRISTEN WILKINSON, PSYD

Several different phenomena arise when a couple divorces, just as when a stepfamily forms. Many of these experiences are so common that they actually have a scientific or scholarly name assigned to them. Parental Alienation fits within this category.

Alienation occurs when a married couple with children divorces Continue reading “Parental Alienation Advice: Inside the April 2018 Issue”

Your Mother-in-Law and His Ex: Inside the April 2018 Issue

Your Mother in LawYour Mother-in-Law and His Ex
Are They Too Close for Comfort?
BY CLAUDETTE CHENEVERT

Does your mother-in-law stay in touch with the ex? This, despite the problems and issues she’s caused for you and your partner? If so, you may feel betrayed by your mother-in-law or find her talk of “the good old days” off-putting. Not to mention their friendship, which is yet another reminder that the ex is lurking in the background. Continue reading “Your Mother-in-Law and His Ex: Inside the April 2018 Issue”

Stepmoms and Infertility: Inside the April 2018 Issue

Childless StepmomThe Childless Stepmom
6 Ways to Cope With Infertility
BY KELLY PALMQUIST, MSW

How many times have you been asked, “Do you have any children?” For as many times as I’ve been asked (hint: a lot), I still feel uncomfortable each and every time. My heart drops to my belly and I feel a lump in my throat. I then explain that I have a 17-year-old stepson who lives with us full-time.

My response is most frequently followed by, “So, do you plan to have children of your own?” Continue reading “Stepmoms and Infertility: Inside the April 2018 Issue”

Stepcouple Communication: Inside the April 2018 Issue

Stepcouple CommunicationDo You Copy, Stepmom?
How to Get Your Point Across: The Do’s and Don’ts
BY MARY T. KELLY, MA

When I’m working with couples, it’s not uncommon for each person to try to not only convince their partner why their position is the “right” one but to also try to convince me. There will be a back-and-forth exchange between the couple and then the inevitable look in my direction. Like a referee, they expect me to declare a winner. Continue reading “Stepcouple Communication: Inside the April 2018 Issue”