I often wondered what it takes to have a successful marriage. I’ve asked people for their advice and I’ve heard things like, “you have to be best friends”, “don’t go to bed angry”, and “respect each other”. I agree with each of these. Now, with my own experiences and through trial and error, I’ve created […]
When dealing with a High-Conflict Ex (HCE), it’s imperative to not get caught up in their constant complaining, negativity, and attacks. From my experience, there is a clear pattern of behavior that presents itself. Knowing this and understanding this pattern keeps my husband and I from getting sucked into the vortex of negativity. The pattern […]
Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and thought, what is going on? What am I becoming? I started looking at a version of myself that I didn’t recognize. Have you ever felt outraged over someone else’s behavior and became obsessive with the injustices? That became the norm in my life. Have you […]
I used to be bothered by the fact, that I missed out on all of my husband’s firsts. I couldn’t be his first wedding, first marriage, first wife; we didn’t buy our first house together, nor have our first babies together. A mindset shift was necessary. My husband’s ex-wife once told me that she believes […]
In the stepmom role, I’ve encountered a significant increase in dealing with emotionally abusive people. Researching these types of people has helped me to step back and see these people for who they truly are, without getting emotionally sucked into their hell. I am able to see their cycle of abuse and therefore keep a […]
Stepmoms endure many challenges in their role. They can be deemed as “evil” or “wicked”, but the perks of being a stepmom are something that can’t be forgotten. Being a stepmom rocks in many ways. 1. You Gain Acceptance & Love Creating a family with your partner and stepchildren allows you to experience more love […]
Mothering is truly an art. Bio-moms, stepmoms, foster moms, adoptive moms, soon-to-be moms, etc., all engage in the “art of mothering.” According to Oxford Dictionaries, a mother can be defined as: To bring up a child with care and affection. To look after kindly and protectively, sometimes excessively so. I once received a comment on […]
As a stepmom, people often make assumptions and judgements about what your role should be in your stepfamily life. Most of these people haven’t walked in your shoes and don’t understand the many complexities of the stepmom role. Strangers, co-workers, even friends and family may have an idea of what being a stepparent means and try to […]
Every stepparent is overwhelmed with a roller coaster of emotions on a regular basis. At least, I know I am. How do you set aside time to nurture your soul? I’ve dealt with anxiety my entire life. As a child, I bit my nails, chewed pen caps, and shook my leg violently. As an adult, […]
Mother’s Day for stepmoms and their partners can be a tricky day to navigate; emotions can run high and anxiety can brew. Some recognize Mother’s Day. Some recognize Stepmother’s Day, which is the following Sunday. Some make up their own day. No matter which day you choose, it’s important to honor the woman in your life who […]
Through my own experience with my stepdaughters, and with many years in the education system, I have learned the value of structure and consistency for children. Learnersdictionary.com defines structure as, “the quality of something that is carefully planned, organized, and controlled.” Structure allows children to feel safe. According to Aha Parenting, “Structure and routines teach kids how […]