National Stepfamily Day is Coming!

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 are daily reminders of the joy, trials, and triumphs of the stepfamily experience and of the boundless love contained in the bond between all types of parents and children. Stepfamily Day is a day to celebrate the many invaluable contributions stepfamilies have made to enriching the lives and life experience of the children and parents of America and to strengthening the fabric of American families and society. Stepfamily Day will encourage and educate all members of a stepfamily [and] honor those who have made a commitment to creating new family bonds.” 

If you are on Facebook or would like to be, join the Facebook page for National Stepfamily Day.

Stepfamilies are encouraged to spend special family time together on Sept. 16, or on the following Saturday, Sept. 19.  NSFD founder Christy Borgeld has put together a great little YouTube video that visualizes multiple ways to celebrate National Stepfamily Day.

These ideas include:

• Holding a family picnic or block party
• Going to the beach (I wish! That’s not an easy day trip from Northern Colorado 😉
• Taking a family hike
• Having a game night
• Making a photo scrapbook
• Going to the zoo
• Going bowling together
• Camping
• Fishing
• Golfing
• Having a family portrait done 

Our family almost always puts out a family photo Christmas card, so I’ve latched on to the portrait idea.  Now we just have to survive the logistical high-jump of coordinating everyone’s schedules (my stepkids are 23 and 21). 

What strikes you as a great way to celebrate National Stepfamily Day? 

Mama J is a writer, parent, and stepparent in Northern Colorado.  Watch for news of her upcoming audio preview to Stepparenting the Grieving Child, and read about her book project at www.dianefromme.com.

Tags: celebrations, family fun, holidays, stepfamilies, Stepparenting