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.
Category: Stepparenting
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
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?
When love doesn’t come to town – What to do when you don’t love your stepchildren.
Whoever you are and whatever your circumstances, love is complex. Within stepfamilies however, love can be very complex. Especially when it comes to stepparents and stepchildren. This is thanks, in part, to a really distinctive attribute of the stepparent-stepchild relationship which is that love, is ultimately a decision. Think about it. People become stepparents because… Continue reading When love doesn’t come to town – What to do when you don’t love your stepchildren.
5 tips for managing back to school Stepmum-style
Summer holidays are just about over. Can you hear that school bell ringing in the not-so-distant future? No matter how many times you’ve done it before, crossing the school gates in your stepparent role can be daunting. Boundaries between a stepparent and an ex can be blurry at the best of times. But heading back… Continue reading 5 tips for managing back to school Stepmum-style
Stepparenting Obstacles: Shadows
I was reading a book the other day, “Between Two Homes – A Coparenting Handbook” by Bradley S. Craig, specifically chapter three which talks about the obstacles to establishing a successful cooperative, post separation parental relationship. Of the eight obstacles Bradley Craig talks about, there was one in particular that can also be a hidden… Continue reading Stepparenting Obstacles: Shadows
Stepparent Wellbeing: Who’s On Your Team?
Call it what you will – a team, peeps, clan, kinfolk, your tribe. Most everyone has one. The group of ‘A-lister’ individuals you surround yourself with and can turn to whenever the occasion calls – and sometimes even when it doesn’t, just because they are a swell group of people who you like being around… Continue reading Stepparent Wellbeing: Who’s On Your Team?
Fathering From The Middle – support for biological fathers in stepfamilies
The middle is not typically a place where any of us chooses to be. Think about flying, most of us prefer and are even willing to pay extra for the aisle or window seat on a plane. Depending on what we are queuing for, we tend to push to be at the front of the… Continue reading Fathering From The Middle – support for biological fathers in stepfamilies
Top Tips For New Stepparents
Becoming a stepparent can be daunting. Figuring out your role as a stepparent — aside from the day-to-day responsibilities that come with it —may lead to confusion, uncertainty or even conflict between you and your partner, your partner’s Ex and/or the kids. There is a lot of information and advice out there to help you… Continue reading Top Tips For New Stepparents