When I got married two years ago to my (now) husband, a father of two boys, I was hopelessly romantic and admittedly naive about what becoming a step-mother would entail. As a child of divorced parents I have run the gamut of good, bad, and ugly in the world of blended families, but even that was not sufficient to prepare me for my own journey into step-motherhood!
While the past couple of years have had their ups and downs, I feel that I have now traversed at least most of the major transitions that every blended family goes through. Having done so, I can easily say that I have ‘made it’ thanks to the supporters in my life who have listened, empathized, offered feedback, and have just generally ‘been there.’
If you are a new step-parent, or considering marrying (or committing to) someone with children from a previous relationship and find yourself dealing with the challenges of navigating all of those new relationships, I strongly encourage you to reach out for support!
I offer one-on-one counseling for step-mothers and step-fathers who are transitioning into new roles or are dealing with difficult dynamics in their relationships.
A few additional resources for step-parents:
- The National Stepfamily Resource Center – a division of Auburn University’s Center for Children, Youth, and Families with information about both facts and fiction when it comes to stepfamilies.
- Steps for Stepmothers – A discussion board for step-mothers to get support from one another and get ideas and feedback.