No Half Ways

No Half Ways

Our mom’s parents divorced when she was 11 years old. Her mom remarried a few years later, and my mom and her three brothers were joined less than a year later by a new baby sister. Theirs was not always an easy adjustment, having a step dad and a new sister who...
From Stepmom to Stepdaughter

From Stepmom to Stepdaughter

It wasn’t until the envelope came in the mail that it was even real to me, and even then I wanted to deny it. I had known it was coming, and had tried very hard to put it out of my mind – but there it was, addressed by hand to Mr. and Mrs. David Bruce. I thought...

When a Parent Chooses Not To Be Involved

PublicDomainPictures / Pixabay There were times when my husband would call his ex-wife and tell her how much the kids wanted to see her.  He would beg her to see the kids. She only lived 20 minutes away; sometimes she would come pick them up for an hour, but quite...
Feelings of Resentment as a Stepparent

Feelings of Resentment as a Stepparent

No matter how much you try not to, sometimes when you’re a stepparent, you feel a bit of resentment. It could be resentment at having to share your spouse with the other people he loves, even if they’re just kids. It could be the relationship he maintains...
Child Support Inequities

Child Support Inequities

Child support is a topic that is often not discussed as a part of stepparenting, but having just raised three children for whom my husband and I were responsible for meeting every need, I can tell you that child support is something that should be discussed more. In...