Tips for Stepmothers
EMOTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS
As a stepmother you can expect to have some strong reactions or emotions. Remember these sometimes result from holding onto unrealistic expectations. Feelings experienced by stepmothers include:
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Steps to stepmother success
The secrets of being a good stepmother can be boiled down to following some simple advice
By Lisa Cohn
Often when women become stepmothers, they believe they should behave like Julie Andrews in the movie "The Sound of Music." They expect instantly to be perfect caregivers and homemakers. Many assume that if they cook and care for stepkids daily, maybe even doing special things such as handcrafting clothing for the children, they'll soon be happily riding bikes with their stepchildren, singing and acting like one big happy family.
These high expectations, which reflect society's view of women as natural caretakers, lead many stepmoms to try to do too much, say experts. Yet if a stepmother assumes a traditional parenting role with her stepchildren and tries to impose new rules, her good intentions may backfire. The kids may reject her attempts to create a nice home for them, her husband's ex-wife may resent her, and her new husband may feel caught between her and the children. In addition, she will probably feel unappreciated and resentful.
