Communication

Mama J on May 11th, 2011

I’m here to validate an understatement: for real relationships, face time trumps Facebook. Our stepfamily had a lot of face time in 2010. Each of my adult stepkids (then 23 and 22) stayed with us during the year, living in our basement one right after the other. Instead of just marking “Like” on a Facebook […]

Continue reading about The Blessings of Face Time, Part 1

Mama J on February 19th, 2010

Viagra online OK, I said I was only going to blog about my book chapter topics for now, but I’m so excited about a group I’ve become part of that I had to share. I’ve written before about the concepts behind The Mother-Daughter Project, an initiative to keep mothers and daughters close and supported along […]

Continue reading about Mothers and Daughters Stay Strong

Mama J on December 9th, 2009

I am so thrilled today to share with you that my audio preview is live and ready for your prime time listenership!  This is the first dedicated resource I know of for stepparents coming into a family where a parent has died. In today’s post I also inform you about a few other stepparenting and family resources.     For […]

Continue reading about Holiday Resource Roundup!

Mama J on August 19th, 2009

Colorado schools start earlier than many states.  Our neighborhoods here are buzzing with the back-to-school sounds of buses rumbling through neighborhoods and kids chatting in packs as they return from the bus stop. In fact, I would argue that at least in this region of the U.S., fall inspires more feelings of change and new beginnings than […]

Continue reading about Fall: a Natural Time for Change

Mama J on July 16th, 2009

The combination of keeping up with my freelance writing contracts and having kids on a summer schedule has wrought a little havoc with my blog posting routine! However, from the number of comments (none!) I received on my school-home connection questions, it appears that many of you are on “summer time” as well. I am […]

Continue reading about The Short Scoop

Mama J on April 1st, 2009

Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.   -Ambrose Bierce  There are three cardinal rules I have to follow when I feel angry at a member of my stepfamily.  I’m writing about this because I have blown it before.  No real good comes out of a screaming […]

Continue reading about Sometimes I Feel Angry

Mama J on March 18th, 2009

I am running a slightly edited version of yesterday’s post for the Wednesday stepparenting blog because I think the theme of “hosting a stranger” also applies to stepfamilies.  Your partner’s kids are your brave new frontier. Will you to rise to the challenge?  One of my loves is to coordinate international exchange students.  I match […]

Continue reading about Kindness to Strangers, continued

Mama J on March 17th, 2009

One of my loves is to coordinate international exchange students.  I match students from other countries with loving host families and I make sure they have a space in one of the local high schools.  But every once in a while I have to deal with a “situation” that results from some combination of clashing […]

Continue reading about Kindness to Strangers

Mama J on March 11th, 2009

(Most writers like the top ten approach, but I like for you to fill in the tenth!)  Various situations in my life continue to point out the extreme importance of communication.  The worst trap of all in a stepfamily is no communication. Assumptions fill the gaps and actions are based on the assumptions!  One way […]

Continue reading about Nine Tips for Family Meetings

Mama J on February 5th, 2009

I have this feature on the latest version of my blog software called QuickPress, and I feel compelled to try it out. You are the guinea pigs for this “Quick Blog” success story on addressing bullying. One crossroads I think parents face when they learn of bullying behavior against their child is whether or not […]

Continue reading about Bullying, Part 2