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4 tips on how to be a good stepmother

Published

8 years ago

July 21, 2016

When hearing the word “stepmother,” does the image of a wicked stepmother from childhood fairy tales arise? It’s time to turn that picture around, and switch “wicked” for “wonderful.”

Becoming a stepmom can mean you are able to help build a successful blended family. Here are some positive findings to consider:

1. 80 per cent of children in stepfamilies turn out fine emotionally and physically.

2. Stepchildren learn to become “resilient”.

3. Kids in stepfamilies experience behaviours of multiple parents-and they get an opportunity to see how their parents can be happier and interact more effectively with a different partner.

Blending with Your Partner’s Children

When becoming part of a blended family, you may need to prepare yourself from some initial conflicts. During the transition stage, small things might get blown out of proportion. Kids typically “test” their new stepparents, so brace yourself.

Listed below are four tips on how to be a good step mom.

Help Kids Feel Secure: Reassure them-help them to feel safe and loved. Children experiencing divorce and remarriage already have been dealing with their own emotional turmoil, and need some extra TLC.

Agree On How To Manage Your Blended Family: It will help prevent confusion if you and your new spouse establish ways to handle discipline and other issues.

Set Simple House Rules: Agree on boundaries. The kids in the blended family may resist this, but setting up guidelines shows that you and your partner are making a good-faith effort to set order in the home. A lack of limits could send the unintended message that the children are unworthy of a stepparent’s attention and care.

Be Sure That Respect Is A Key: The children fare better when all parents involved treat one another with respect. Kids will observe any type of hostility that exists between their divorced biological parents. If they experience disrespectful behaviour, they could start imitating it. Angry interchanges between co-parents can make kids feel uncomfortable about spending time freely with either set of parents.

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