Lessons for Step Mothers

Ever since Cinderella, the word "wicked" seems to have got permanently prefixed to stepmothers, which is not only unfair, it is also not true. Most women consider stepmotherhood as their life’s highest calling. They go above and beyond the call of duty to make their stepchildren feel loved and welcomed, and all they get is attitudes, eye rolls, and sarcastic remarks. They can’t even share their pain with anyone because if they do, the only thing they get to hear every time is, “Well, you knew there were kids involved.”

Every stepmother-to-be knows there are kids involved. Of course, she does. She has just no idea how demanding and difficult her job is going to be. With duties and responsibilities sans the rights and the glory, caring for someone else’s children can be very demoralizing. Plus, with the wicked stepmother myth chasing her like a shadow 24/7, it is difficult for her to just be. No wonder most stepmothers consider their journey the hardest road travelled.

What a stepmother needs to realize is that she can neither change society’s perception of her, nor can she win her stepchildren over by becoming a doormat in her own home. Instead, she should invest her time and energy to learn about her stepfamily and her role therein. That’s where this book will come in handy. It has some very useful lessons that will guide every woman who is either contemplating stepmotherhood or is already there and struggling to:
• comprehend the intricate dynamics of step,
• know why she is a soft target,
• debunk stepfamily myths,
• bond with her stepkids,
• keep her identity,
• prevent step-maternal burnout, and
• protect her sanity.