Tag: custody and visitation

Long-Distance Stepfamily Holidays – In the December 2015 Issue

Long Distance Stepfamily
Inside the December 2015 Issue

Long-Distance Holidays Stepfamily Style: 5 Ways to Connect When You Can’t Be Together by Heather Hetchler, MA

Holidays and family go together. Except when they don’t. There are many reasons stepfamilies aren’t together for the holidays. Sometimes, it’s a legal decree. Other times, one parent changes plans at the last minute or won’t allow the kids to come over. Kids may even choose (or be forced to choose) not to come to your home for the holidays at all.

It can be heartbreaking to have plans changed, children withheld or not be chosen as the home where the kids celebrate. Continue reading “Long-Distance Stepfamily Holidays – In the December 2015 Issue”

Inside the September 2015 Issue of StepMom Magazine

StepMom Magazine September 2015
The September 2015 Issue

The September 2015 issue of StepMom Magazine is here!

Becoming a stepmom is like taking a crash course in subjects women never dream of studying: “How to Deal With an Angry Ex” and “Child Support 101” aren’t offered, as requirements or electives, in high school or university course catalogues. And yet? Millions of women find themselves tested every single day.

It’s like a taking a pop quiz you never studied for. Your patience is tested. Your ability to withstand character attacks is tested. Your stamina, your self-confidence, your relationship with your partner … they’re all repeatedly tested, too.

The good news is? You can ace these tests! We’re here to guide you through it. Every step of the way! Here’s what you’ll find inside when you subscribe: Continue reading “Inside the September 2015 Issue of StepMom Magazine”

Becoming a Full-Time Stepmom – Inside the July 2015 Issue

Full Time Stepmom
Inside the July 2015 Issue

Becoming a Full-Time Stepmom: What to Expect and How to Cope With Changes in Custody by Jenna Korf

The thing with stepfamily life is you never know what is going to happen. You move in with a man who has kids—who has them maybe half the time—and you assume it will always be that way. But, in stepfamilies, things almost never stay the same.

I could not have imagined that three years after marrying my husband, who had 50/50 custody, we would be moving 3,000 miles away and gaining full physical custody of both boys (then 14 and 17) while their mom stayed put. Nope, I did not see that one coming. Continue reading “Becoming a Full-Time Stepmom – Inside the July 2015 Issue”

Every Other Weekend Dads – Inside the June 2015 Issue

Every Other Weekend StepMom Magazine
Inside the June 2015 Issue

Every Other Weekend: How Divorced Dads Can Connect With Their Kids—All Week Long! by Claudette Chenevert

Your husband just said goodbye to his kids for the hundredth time this year. Somehow, it doesn’t seem to get any better for him. He’s an amazing dad, but something seems to pull at his heartstrings whenever he hugs his kids goodbye.

As a stepmom, you feel the struggles and challenges related to raising someone else’s children. It’s not easy—and it’s definitely complicated. You probably also view your partner as being very good at parenting. Yet, although he puts on a strong face, he is saddened every time the kids go back to their mom’s. Continue reading “Every Other Weekend Dads – Inside the June 2015 Issue”

Inside the April 2015 Issue of StepMom Magazine

April 2015 Issue
The April 2015 Issue

The April 2015 issue of StepMom Magazine is HERE!

This month offers you lots of great advice on some pretty touchy topics—and a few taboo ones! Sometimes we really do have to learn to live with things: stepchildren we don’t like, exes who interfere in our relationships and changes that are beyond our control (yet affect our daily lives).

But a stepmom’s happiness and well-being are just as important as anyone else’s are. This month, our writers help you under- stand what you can do to work through the inevitable without sacrificing either one.

So, don’t settle by simply “learning to live with things” that don’t feel right. Read on and learn to thrive! Here’s what you’ll find inside when you subscribe: Continue reading “Inside the April 2015 Issue of StepMom Magazine”

Inside the February 2015 Issue of StepMom Magazine

Stepmom Magazine February 2015

The February 2015 issue of StepMom Magazine is HERE!

Love isn’t enough when you’re coupled up with someone who has kids. You need to be on the same page. If you’re not? You need to talk about your differences.

The articles in this month’s issue explore the many facets and faces of love … and stepfamily life. While stepfamily life isn’tfree of drama, addressing those touchy subjects early on does pay off.

Use this issue to facilitate conversations with your partner, because the more you two talk the more you’ll realize there’s not a subpoena, stereotype, or solicitation for increased child support that can sink you when you’re actually in sync!

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

A Holiday Survival Guide for Stepmothers

By Brenda Snyder, LCSW Originally published in the Nov. 2012 issue of StepMom Magazine.

The holiday season is upon us! It’s “the most wonderful time of the year!” But sometimes, for stepmoms, the very times that are supposed to make us the happiest can have the opposite effect.

As a childless stepmother, I couldn’t wait to share my mother’s awesome Christmas Eve tradition of having Santa Claus visit from the North Pole. Continue reading “A Holiday Survival Guide for Stepmothers”