Tag: stepmom help

Why Stepdads Have It Easier – Inside the September 2015 Issue

Stepparenting Together
Inside the Sept. 2015 Issue

Stepparenting Together? How Stepmoms’ and Stepdads’ Experiences Differ by Trisha Ladogna

Have you ever wondered if stepdads have it easier?

Becoming a stepmother after spending time as a single parent means parenting like you have never experienced it before. You have the unique experience of beginning your stepparenting journey at the very same time, in the very same place, as your partner.

While this can open up some fantastic opportunities for shared understanding, insight and support (in your couple relationship), it also brings with it a unique set of challenges found only when there are two stepparents residing in the same home. Continue reading “Why Stepdads Have It Easier – Inside the September 2015 Issue”

Tired of Being a Stepmom – Inside the September 2015 Issue

Tired Stepmom
Inside the Sept. 2015 Issue

Tired of Being a Stepmom? Science Says Taking the High Road Isn’t Easy by Christina Roach, LMHC, NCC, DCC

We all know being a stepmom can be a tiresome business— with some days feeling  more draining than others. Countless scenarios are primed to put us in positions where we can choose to either take the high road or succumb to exposing our uncensored thoughts.

Whether it’s par for the course of the role we’re in or not, many stepmoms are  faced with predicaments in which they feel a need to wield restraint over their impulses. Maybe you’ve crafted Pollyanna-type responses to yourself about false allegations made by the ex, your stepchildren’s selective hearing or (what you perceive to be) your partner’s misguided parenting style. Continue reading “Tired of Being a Stepmom – Inside the September 2015 Issue”

Stepmom Strategies – Get Him to Listen – In the Sept. 2015 Issue

Stepmom Strategies
Inside the Sept. 2015 Issue

Getting Your Partner to Listen – Stepmom Strategies: Stop Harping and Be Heard by Mary T. Kelly, MA

⊲ “We need to talk.”

⊲ “You need to tell your kid to clean his room.”

⊲ “I need you to set your ex straight on our boundaries.”

⊲ “You need to start disciplining your kids or I’ll do it for you.”

Do you recognize yourself in any of those statements? In truth, that list could go on and on. I’ll bet you’ve started multiple conversations with your partner by saying, “You need to …,” I want you to …,” or some variation of that. Continue reading “Stepmom Strategies – Get Him to Listen – In the Sept. 2015 Issue”

Adult Stepchildren – Inside the September 2015 Issue

Adult Stepkids
Inside the Sept. 2015 Issue

All Grown Up: When Life Hands You Adult Stepkids
by Brenda Snyder, LCSW

It is a well-known fact that people are living longer and that the aging and elderly population is a growing one. This affects many aspects of society, including the growing number of stepfamilies that form later in life and are, thus, comprised of older adults with adult stepchildren.

Stepfamily literature and research tends to focus on families with young or school-age children, where everyday parenting tasks are the norm. Even informal conversations about impending marriages dismiss the unique challenges of taking on adult stepchildren, with everyone expressing gratitude that the “problems” wrought by younger stepchildren have been avoided. Continue reading “Adult Stepchildren – Inside the September 2015 Issue”

Confessions of a Full-Time Stepmom – In the August 2015 Issue

Full Time Stepmom
Inside the August 2015 Issue

Confessions of a Full-Time Stepmom: 4 Truths About This 24/7 Gig by Heather Hetchler, MA

I glanced at the clock. The reflected time stopped me cold. My heart began to race. My stomach started turning. My breath grew shallow. They were all automatic responses to what was estimated to occur in less than three hours: my stepdaughters’ return from two weeks at their grandparents’ home.

Feeling terrible about my physical reaction, I texted two friends and asked them to pray for me.

As a full-time stepmom of two and a co-parenting mom of four, there are only two weeks each year in which my stepdaughters are not with us. I look forward to these two weeks. Continue reading “Confessions of a Full-Time Stepmom – In 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”

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”

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”

Wedding Advice for Stepmoms – Inside the June 2015 Issue

Stepmom Wedding
Inside the June 2015 Issue

Tie the Knot Without Getting Tangled! A Stepmom’s Guide to Getting the Wedding You Want By Jenna Korf

If you’re in the midst of planning your wedding and find yourself feeling guilty and anxious more often than excited, you’re not alone. Why? Because, if you’re like most couples, you’re likely trying to please everyone around you.

You’re trying to take into consideration everyone else’s feelings and ideas—ideas which are often in conflict with what you truly want for yourselves. When it comes to weddings, people feel they have free rein to tell you what yours should look like and how it should be run. It can feel as if you’re being pressured to have everyone else’s dream wedding rather than your own. Continue reading “Wedding Advice for Stepmoms – Inside the June 2015 Issue”