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”

The Introverted Stepmom – Inside the August 2015 Issue

Introverted Stepmom Magazine
Inside the August 2015 Issue

The Introverted Stepmom: Strategies for Living in a Family of Extroverts by Jenna Korf

Many stepmoms struggle to fit in and find peace within their families. It’s not because they don’t get along with their stepchildren but because they are introverts in a family of extroverts. Introverts and extroverts often have conflicting ways of being in the world.

According to “Psychology Today,” introversion is a personality trait attributed to someone whose energy is drained by social interactions; they give their energy away when interacting with others. Therefore, they need recovery time. This usually means solitude—time in which to recharge and refill their energy tank. Continue reading “The Introverted Stepmom – Inside the August 2015 Issue”

Inside the August 2015 Issue of StepMom Magazine

StepMom Magazine August 2015The August 2015 issue of StepMom Magazine is HERE!

This month’s issue features an exclusive interview with former “Real Housewives of New York City” cast member: Aviva Drescher!

Aviva is a celebrity and a stepmom (like you!) who understands what it’s like to have your every move broadcast under the glare of a spotlight, while people you don’t even know make assumptions about you.

Find out what you have in common with this celebrity stepmom in our telling interview—which begins on Page 14.

Here’s what’s inside for subscribers: Continue reading “Inside the August 2015 Issue of StepMom Magazine”

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”

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”

Co-Parenting Tips for Stepmoms – Inside the July 2015 Issue

Co Parenting Tips
Inside the July 2015 Issue

The Third Wheel: Adding a Stepparent to the Co-Parenting Mix by Trisha Ladogna

The post-divorce, co-parenting relationship is unique. Unlike most business or personal relationships, it is one that a person can’t simply dismiss or walk away from. It’s not optional, and how well or poorly it functions has a significant impact on everyone involved—children, parents and stepparents.

When one or even two new stepparents enter the mix, what was once a co-parenting relationship might quickly become a co-parenting entourage. The addition of new people brings with it additional viewpoints and opinions which then require additional discussion or negotiation and may increase the opportunity for misunderstandings. Continue reading “Co-Parenting Tips for Stepmoms – Inside the July 2015 Issue”

Teenage Stepkids – Inside the July 2015 Issue

Teenage Stepkids
Inside the July 2015 issue.

Their Teenage Years: Understanding Why Your Stepkids Act That Way by Brenda Snyder, LCSW

Teenagers are not only a challenge for stepmothers.

It seems as though they were invented so that any adult who raises them will want to turn their bedrooms into sewing rooms instead of shrines when they finally leave the nest. After all, if sending kids off to college was as hard as sending them off to preschool, we might never let them leave home for good.

Biological parents bemoan the unpredictable and sometimes monstrous behavior that overtakes their previously darling offspring. Eye rolls, sarcasm and slammed doors seem to be part of the expected family paradigm when teens are present. Sometimes, even worse behaviors Continue reading “Teenage Stepkids – Inside the July 2015 Issue”

Inside the July 2015 Issue of StepMom Magazine

StepMom Magazine July 2015
The July 2015 Issue

The July 2015 issue of StepMom Magazine is HERE!

This month’s issue explores topics which epitomize the highs and lows of stepmothering such as:

Having a baby, living with teenagers, dealing with changes in custody and vacationing as a stepfamily.

The July 2015 issue is full of practical information and tools you can start using today.

You’ll also learn why you need to make date night a priority, why you don’t need to worry so much about your adolescent stepkids’ antics and why it’s OK to eat donuts for breakfast—or dinner even.

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

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”