Communication

Mama J on July 13th, 2011

I started to tell you last time that I had my daughter “sign her life away” to get her cell phone. Here are most of the terms and conditions we put in the agreement, in case it would be helpful to any of you. I, (child’s name), understand that my phone is a privilege given […]

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Mama J on May 19th, 2011

Last week I made a case about how I think face time with my kids trumps Facebook. Recently, we’d had the pleasure of having each of my older kids (my stepchildren) move back in with us, one at a time. Last week I told the story of my stepdaughter, her fiancé, and their dogs squeezing […]

Continue reading about The Blessings of Face Time, Part 2

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 […]

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Mama J on April 14th, 2011

For those of you who have teens, you are well aware that prom season is upon us. I wanted to introduce you to a website that I appreciate, one that right now has several great blog entries about moms and prom, prom drama (a.k.a. prama), and how to talk to your teens about what could […]

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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 […]

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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 8th, 2009

Last Wednesday I blogged about anger, and the very same day another of my stepparent colleagues also blogged about stepparent anger.  Are we affected by the upcoming full moon, or is this a recurring theme families need to pay attention to?  What do you think?  I’ve been focusing on ways I can “come down” from feeling […]

Continue reading about Some other Thoughts about Anger

Your turn:  If you have any comments or advice for this reader, please comment below or send me an e-mail at info@dianefromme.com.  I’ve recently been in e-mail dialogue with a concerned stepmother.  She’s stepparenting three elementary- and middle-school-aged children whose mother died several years ago.  My heart went out to her as I read about […]

Continue reading about A Reader Writes: If Everyone’s Fine, Why do I Feel Stressed?

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 […]

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