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 the [...]

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Mama J on December 2nd, 2009

I was struck, during and after my recent interview with Barbara Bue of KRFC radio, by how little she and I knew about each other and yet how much we had in common as stepmoms. As we are diving headlong into the holiday season, I’m advocating a little reminder to all stepparents to seek out [...]

Continue reading about Support and Stepmountains

Mama J on November 4th, 2009

I am just so excited to report that I’ve just recorded the Stepparenting the Grieving Child audio with interviewer Barbara Bue of KRFC Radio.  Barb herself is a stepparent and was intensely interested in my information, which makes both sides of the interview commentary very engaging.
You can expect to hear about three distinct phases of [...]

Continue reading about An Earful

Mama J on October 28th, 2009

I don’t get a lot of messages from readers who are thinking about becoming a stepparent.  Most of us already are.
One message I received this past summer was indeed from a divorced woman with a nine-year-old son who has been dating a widow of four years with three children (two of whom are teenagers).  I wanted [...]

Continue reading about A Reader Writes: Preparing Mentally

Mama J on September 30th, 2009

Now that I have your attention, here’s what I really think about the continued comments I’m receiving on my Selfish Stepparenting? post:  They are poignant, revealing, and I think important to the types of dialogues we have and continue to have in and about stepfamilies.  These comments raise some provocative questions, such as:  What does a child [...]

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Mama J on September 23rd, 2009

We had a great time taking family pictures at the Colorado State University Gardens, except when young Amy got stung by a bee!  After a short break she was a trooper and continued snapping multiple poses. 
No one but me was keeping track of the connection with National Stepfamily Day…but the word is growing! 
Have a great [...]

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Mama J on September 16th, 2009

Wow, it’s here!  September 16 is National Stepfamily Day (NSD), and now there is quite the buzz about trying to make this day International Stepfamily Day.  I have always noticed through my stepfamily research that the countries of Canada, the UK, Australia, and Japan have active stepfamily associations.  Canada and the UK already recognize Stepfamily Day.  Does [...]

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Mama J on September 9th, 2009

I’d like to join the National Stepfamily Resource Center’s effort to raise your awareness of a special holiday:  the thirteenth annual National Stepfamily Day (NSFD) on Sept. 16, 2009. When reflecting on the purpose of National Stepfamily Day, founder Christy Borgeld says: 
 ”Our nation has been blessed by thousands upon thousands of loving stepparents and stepchildren who [...]

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Mama J on September 2nd, 2009

First of all, thanks for the lively discussion and comments to last week’s post about selfish stepparents.  I thought I’d go with something a little lighter this week — how stepfamilies can have fun on Labor Day weekend.  I combined some ideas for those who live in urban areas with ideas for those who have recreational [...]

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Mama J on August 26th, 2009

I do encourage comments and friendly debate on this blog, but I have to admit I was surprised to receive a comment this summer from a reader nicknamed Daisy:  ”I came here for comfort, and instead find an outrageous display of selfishness.” 
Daisy, who is herself grieving the loss of her adult son, felt that the [...]

Continue reading about A Reader Writes: Selfish Stepparents