Expert Stepfamily Advice for Any Woman Whose Partner Has Kids
Stepmoms and Mother’s Day: 7 Reasons Stepkids Snub Us on the Mother of All Holidays by Trisha Ladogna, GDP
One of the most difficult aspects of Mother’s Day, for a stepmother, can be trying to understand why our stepchildren (particularly those we have good relationships with) don’t recognize us on Mother’s Day.
Being ignored by your stepchildren on Mother’s Day—well, it just sucks, especially if you Continue reading “Stepmoms and Mother’s Day – Inside the May 2016 Issue”
Stepmoms and Stepdaughters Connecting: Use Conversation to Bridge the Gap Between You by Claudette Chenevert
We read stories about the challenges between stepmoms and their stepdaugthers on social media, in private forums, in magazines and in books. Why is that? And we’re not just talking about their teenage years, although those often are the most challenging. I’m also talking about our ability—or inability—to have meaningful conversations with our adult stepdaughters.
There are times when, no matter how much you try, it feels as if you and she are speaking two different languages. Continue reading “Stepmom Stepdaughter Communication – Inside the May 2016 Issue”
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. Continue reading “Parenting Tips for Stepmoms – Inside the April 2016 Issue”
Expecting Stepmoms: What You Need to Know About Babies and “Blending” by Wednesday Martin, PhD
The woman’s tone was urgent, almost anxious. She had called into a radio show I was doing to promote my book, “Stepmonster,” and I wished I had longer to talk to her about having what the experts call “a mutual child.” For the women I interviewed while writing my book, the issue of whether to have one (or more) kids together or not was often a deal-breaker.
“I decided I wasn’t going to marry Jack and take on his two girls—cute and lovable as they are— without us having a child together, too,” a woman I’ll call Laura told me, explaining, “What can I say, it just felt like having a baby of our own would sort of even things out.” Continue reading “Expecting Stepmoms – Inside the April 2016 Issue”
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. Continue reading “Stepfamily Life – Inside the March 2016 Issue”
How Jealousy Affects Stepmom-Stepchild Relationships: It’s Not Easy Being Green, by Wednesday Martin, Phd
It has been said over and over: Children, even grown ones, feel threatened, displaced, hurt and scared when dad remarries. Less often do we hear how the stepmother experiences this reality: Hurt and threatened stepchildren are also frequently angry and jealous—and they want us gone.
A stepmother’s “vengefulness and jealousy” toward her husband’s powerless children may be something other than what it seems. Often, it is a fantasy and a projection, one that allows stepchildren of all ages to disavow a deeper, more disturbing truth. Continue reading “Stepmom-Stepchild Relationships – Inside the March 2016 Issue”
The February 2016 issue of StepMom Magazine is HERE!
In this month’s edition, we address lots of different sources of struggle and frustration.
Are you having trouble making time for sex? Read Wednesday Martin’s tips for “Getting It On!” (p. 11). Got a mini-wife in your midst? Mary Kelly helps you remedy that situation on p. 16. Think you “should” have mastered this gig already? Christina Roach sets you straight on p. 32. Rachelle Katz even weighs in—on thorny Valentine’s surprises (p. 5).
Most importantly, The February 2016 issue of StepMom Magazine offers advice on how to work together with your partner to keep your relationship strong for the long haul!
Continue reading “Inside the February 2016 Issue of Stepmom Magazine”
Mini-Wives: A Stepmom’s Guide to Dealing With His Dominating Daughter by Mary T. Kelly, MA
Are you having stepdaughter issues?
PICTURE THIS: It’s your wedding day and you’re marrying the ideal man for you. Granted, he comes with a 6-year-old daughter—but you’ve known her for a while and you get along well. Your special day is going to be perfect!
Imagine your surprise when it’s time for the first dance and your brand spanking new husband reaches out for his daughter’s hand and leads her to the dance floor. You’re left standing there, as heat fills your cheeks and you attempt a feeble smile aimed at the guests, hoping that the pounding in your heart isn’t noticeable.
Yet, it only gets worse. Continue reading “Stepdaughter Issues – Inside the February 2016 Issue”
The January 2016 issue of StepMom Magazine is HERE!
This month marks StepMom Magazine’s 7th anniversary! To celebrate, we’ve packed this special edition with information to make your life as a stepmom easier by revealing the truth about becoming a stepmom and sharing tips to help you succeed. This issue is full of candid admissions and insights from therapists, best-selling authors, lawyers, and stepmoms on the front lines.
Wednesday Martin, PhD, author of Stepmonster, shares what she’s learned in her research on stepmom resentment. Feel like you’ve lost yourself since becoming a stepmom? Heather Hetchler offers a few resolutions for reclaiming your old self. And Christina Roach explores the unique impact infertility has on stepmoms.
And that’s just a sampling. Here’s everything you’ll find inside this month’s issue: Continue reading “Inside the January 2016 Issue of StepMom Magazine”
Stepfamily Growing Pains – Tips on Handling Teens Who Don’t (or Won’t!) Come Around Anymore by Mary T. Kelly, MA
Have you and your partner heard these words from a defiant teenager who no longer wants to go back and forth between two homes and only wants to live with his mom? “I don’t want to live here anymore!” If so, the two of you are not alone.
Let’s be honest here. If you have stepkids who are difficult teenagers, for you this may be a blessing in disguise. But for your partner—their father—it’s devastating. It’s tough enough for your partner to only have custody of his kids part-time. Finding out he has a kid who has no desire to live with him is like a punch in the gut. Continue reading “Teenage Stepchildren – Inside the January 2016 Issue”