Diana Shepherd, the Editorial Director and Co-Founder of Divorce Magazine, appeared on the Divorce View show recently with co-hosts Joanie Winberg and Rosalind Sedacca to discuss how to become a good stepmother.
Here are some of the helpful tips she offered to support the viewers:
- When one or both spouses have children from a previous marriage, the failure rate for second marriages is higher than for first marriages
- The secret sauce to making a blended family work is love, compassion, and patience.
- You have to start with love – not looking for evidence that your spouse’s kids are worthy of your love.
- Anyone who is marrying a divorced man or woman with children needs to really KNOW that they are marrying a family. This is the core of what will make a remarriage successful.
- Step-parenting is the hardest job you’ll ever love: It’s complicated and rewarding at the same time. You have to work at it religiously at first: a good relationship with your step kids and your spouse’s ex will not just happen.
- Kill your spouse’s ex with kindness – especially when you don’t feel like it.
- Fake it until you make it: acting like you love the kids (and the ex, if possible) will cause a positive shift in your relationship, which will end up with you really loving them.
Any recommendations for divorce from (step) mom? My husband’s kids have such amazing she strong bonds with me. Just because HE claims they will be ok, because he’s forcing them to. I’m very worried.