Tag: blended family problems

Having an Ours Baby – Inside the August 2015 Issue

Ours Baby StepMom Magazine
Inside the August 2015 Issue

Sitting in the Center: An Ours Child’s Perspective on Stepfamily Life by Trisha Ladogna

Our decision to have an ours baby was not made lightly. I was 36, a childless stepmother for more than five years and had suffered a miscarriage prior to having my first biological child.

Like many first-time mothers, I did an amazing amount of preparation and reading about what was happening with my body and my baby. Like many stepmothers, I did just as much reading and preparation around the impact this little bundle of joy would have on our stepfamily—particularly my stepson.

And, like both stepmothers and mothers, I worried. Continue reading “Having an Ours Baby – Inside the August 2015 Issue”

Why Stepfamilies Are Different – Inside the August 2015 Issue

Stepfamilies Are Unique
Inside the August 2015 Issue

Embrace Your Differences: 5 Factors That Make Stepfamilies Unique by Brenda Snyder, LCSW

A family is a family is a family. Two adults. Some kids. Does it really matter so much how and when the family was formed? Or that not all of the people in that family are blood related? You look like a family. You act like a family. Love conquers all.

The same rules ought to apply, right? Rarely do women who are not stepmothers understand just how wrong these assumptions are. They try to be supportive, but they just don’t get it.

Stepfamilies are different.

And it’s time to embrace those differences. At least five factors make stepfamilies unique. Continue reading “Why Stepfamilies Are Different – Inside the August 2015 Issue”

Preparing Stepkids for an Ours Baby – In the July 2015 Issue

Ours Baby StepMom Magazine
Inside the July 2015 Issue

Baby Blues: Preparing Stepkids for Your “Ours” Baby’s Arrival by Christina Roach, LMHC, NCC, DCC

Preparing for the arrival of a new baby can be an exciting time for any couple. Whether you are motivated by wanting a biological child of your own or a desire to share the parenthood experience with your partner, the decision to add an “ours” baby to the stepfamily dynamic is an important one.

For some stepmoms, conceiving a child can serve as a way to authenticate the couple’s relationship, especially in the eyes of those people who they feel question its validity. On a subconscious level, it also can be a way to show others that this relationship (the stepcouple relationship) is real. It isn’t a mere substitution for their partner’s former union. Continue reading “Preparing Stepkids for an Ours Baby – In the July 2015 Issue”

Top 10 Stepmom Issues – Inside the June 2015 Issue

Stepmom Issues
Inside the June 2015 Issue

Can You Help a Girl Out? 10 Things Stepmoms Want Their Partners to Know by Heather Hetchler, MA

Communication breakdowns—not unlike the sudden breakdown of a car while you’re speeding along the highway—can be unnerving. In stepfamilies, they can also lead to critical breaks in the otherwise happy connection you share with your partner.

Sure, we all have days when we don’t quite get what our partners are saying.

Maybe, like auto mechanics rattling off specs, the language they use doesn’t make sense to us. Or, like that radio blaring two cars away, intrusions from the ex make it hard to concentrate on the here and now. Continue reading “Top 10 Stepmom Issues – Inside the June 2015 Issue”

Inside the June 2015 Issue of StepMom Magazine

June 2015 StepMom Magazine
The June 2015 Issue

 

The June 2015 issue of StepMom Magazine is HERE!

In honor of Father’s Day, this month’s Special Edition is designed specifically FOR THE MEN in our lives. You’ll find it chock full of articles which you and your partner can read separately–or together!

This edition addresses problems your partner struggles with most often (like feeling stuck in the middle). It also speaks to topics you find challenging (like feeling valued and supported). More than just a helpful resource, it’s a great tool for starting conversations with your mate.

Here’s what you’ll find inside when you subscribe: Continue reading “Inside the June 2015 Issue of StepMom Magazine”

Inside the May 2015 Issue of StepMom Magazine

Stepmom Magazine May 2015
The May 2015 Issue

The May 2015 issue of StepMom Magazine is HERE!

The tips and advice in this month’s issue are designed to
help make your job a little easier.

While we don’t specifically address Mother’s Day in any of the articles, remember that—regardless of your maternal status and any recognition you may or may not receive on May 10—what you do is important.

Stepfamily experts agree that a stepmom’s job is the hardest job position within any family!

And, if stepmoms got paid what they’re worth? We’d all be millionaires.

Here’s what you’ll find inside when you subscribe: Continue reading “Inside the May 2015 Issue of StepMom Magazine”

How To Keep The Ex Out Of Your Relationship

Do you spend too much time thinking about your partner’s ex-wife? Watch this video and learn how to focus LESS on her and MORE on your relationship.

Stepmoms: Leave a comment below and tell us what you think! Do you talk so much about the ex it almost feels like she lives with you? Are you ready to set boundaries and try the strategy explained in this video? Continue reading “How To Keep The Ex Out Of Your Relationship”

The 5 Dumbest Things People Say to Stepmoms

Stepfamily life can be complicated. Well-intentioned “advice” often comes from family & friends who just don’t understand why being a stepmom isn’t as easy as it looks!

Let’s hear from you, stepmoms. What’s the funniest, craziest, or dumbest thing anyone has ever said to you? Leave a comment below and, if you liked this video, don’t keep it a secret, share it!

If you liked this video, you’ll LOVE the magazine!