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Broken Ornaments Better Than Broken Hearts
Getting Real With Shadra Bruce Opening Christmas presents might be what the kids look forward to the most, but it’s decorating the tree together that builds memories that last. If you celebrate…
The Challenges of Being a Stepparent
Stepparenting is HARD. There are no easy answers. Successful blended families happen because the biological parent supports the stepparent, because the adults act like adults, because the families embrace open…
Avoiding the Holiday Custody Tug of War
Getting Real With Shadra Bruce I was in the store the other day and they’re already clearancing costumes and preparing to put out Christmas trees and ornaments. It’s September, but if…
25 Rules for Being a GOOD StepMom
I’ve learned some things on this journey that seem important to share with anyone who is a step mom or is planning to marry into a stepmother role.…
Is Your Mama a Step-Mama?
Getting Real With Elizabeth Sanchez They say you don’t really appreciate your parents until you become a parent yourself. I fully experienced that feeling twice. Not because I gave birth to…
StepMom Reflections
by Shadra Bruce Today, my youngest stepkids will turn 21. I’ve had the privilege of being a part of their lives since just before their 7th birthdays. Their bio mom gave…
A (Step) Mom by Any Other Name
Getting Real With Elizabeth Sanchez We sat down for breakfast in our second week at my in-law’s house, and as usual I was stuff my face with something delicious when I…
It’s Not Always Easy Being a StepMom
I often write about being a stepmom from the point of view I have now. Right now, I have three step kids, ages 20, 20, and 24. Right now, I…
In the Eyes of a Child – My Journey to Becoming a StepMom
We’re thrilled to welcome our newest Getting Real With, Elizabeth Sanchez. The cliché goes that “eyes are windows to the soul” and the state in Mexico that my husband is from…
4 Steps to Resolving Issues in a Blended Family
Building a healthy blended family takes time, effort, and patience.…
Being a Good Stepparent
Becoming a stepparent can be as nerve-wracking as becoming a parent for the first time. It's not much different: there are expectations, a role to be performed, and a…
Disciplining As A Team
You and your spouse can team up to make discipline work effectively, no matter what the age of your kids.…
Advice for New Stepparents
Stepparenting is rewarding and challenging. Advice to help you shine in your new role.…
Holiday Guidelines for StepMoms and StepDads
Getting Real With Shadra Bruce With the holidays coming, I have offered some advice to biological moms and dads out there about how to make sure your children don’t suffer through…
Make the Holidays a Time to Bond with Stepchildren
The holidays are a great time to bond with stepchildren…
Raising Adult Children
The words adult children may seem oxymoronic, and while the term refers to any child you’ve managed to raise to the age of 18 or beyond, the ones I’m really…
The Value of Stepparents
With 1300 new stepfamilies forming every day, it's time to challenge the definition of family. Stepparents are family too!…
Shadra Bruce Appears as Guest Expert on World Parent Summit Panel
To Listen to the Interview Click Here Shadra Bruce, leading parenting expert and author of the Stories from a StepMom series, was the guest expert at the 2009 World Parent …
Being An Adult Stepchild
As I was growing up with my family fully intact, I never thought that I would be faced with being an adult step child. My parents had been married my…
