Often everyone’s adjustment to stepfamily living is easier with an infant or younger child. Younger children are still in the impressionable age of attachment. They tend to be more compliant with significant adults and open to bonding with a new person entering their lives. In contrast, a teenager is at an age whereby they are… Continue reading Connecting with Teenage Stepchildren.
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Helpful Help for Stepparents
Resources that capture the complexity of stepfamilies and of stepparenting. Being a stepparent can at times be stressful, daunting and lonely. There are a variety of challenges and obstacles to overcome, all of which contribute to the divorce/separation rate for step-couples being generally higher than that of “first” marriages. It is therefore crucial to make… Continue reading Helpful Help for Stepparents
Stepfamily Beginnings – Helping Kids Cope
Changes and challenges are completely unavoidable when stepfamily forms. Here are some things you can do to support your child’s emotional health and wellbeing and help them adjust to their stepfamily reality.
Why you can’t just tell a stepmum to wash her face…
Self-care isn’t enough when it comes to stepmothers. We need the whole village.
Divorce, Separation and The Healing Powers of Books.
Books can be a tremendous help in explaining significant life events such as divorce and separation to children and in supporting children as they confront (and cope with) emotional challenges in their daily life.
6 ways a biological parent can reduce tension & friction in a stepfamily.
Parenting in stepfamilies is not straight forward – for stepparents or for biological parents. It doesn’t work like parenting in a first-time family. Parenting in stepfamilies is more complex and involves extra complications and external pressures. And so it’s no surprise that building a stepfamily takes a whole lot of W-O-R-K. In fact, research shows… Continue reading 6 ways a biological parent can reduce tension & friction in a stepfamily.
The ‘do’s & don’ts’ of supporting a stepparent who is having a tough time
Do you have someone you care about who is or is becoming a stepparent? Do they turn to you for advice and support, but you feel a bit out of your depth when it comes to stepfamilies and feel a bit confused about how to support a stepparent who is having a tough time? Then,… Continue reading The ‘do’s & don’ts’ of supporting a stepparent who is having a tough time
Can a stepparent love a stepchild as much as a biological child?
Can a stepparent share the unconditional love that exists between a parent and a biological child? If we asked that question to a room full of stepparents from around the globe, it’s likely there would be just as many resounding ‘yeses’ as shouts of ‘no way in hell’. We’d also hazard a guess that if… Continue reading Can a stepparent love a stepchild as much as a biological child?
Adult stepchildren and ‘late-in-life’ relationships
Stepfamily life doesn’t always end when the kids turn 18. sometimes it’s just beginning. Stepfamily life doesn’t always end when the kids turn 18. Sometimes it’s just beginning. Click To Tweet When we think of stepfamilies, we generally picture a couple with one or more primary school children and perhaps a teenager thrown into the… Continue reading Adult stepchildren and ‘late-in-life’ relationships
Want to know how to feel closer to your stepkids? Let’s hear what the kids have to say
Generally when we talk about stepparent-stepchildren relationships it’s from the adult perspective – not the kids. The research into stepfamilies over the years has also tended to follow the trend of an adult focus. What’s been missing from these conversations is the children’s view. The reality is that positive stepparent-stepchild relationships actually predict stepfamily stability.… Continue reading Want to know how to feel closer to your stepkids? Let’s hear what the kids have to say