May 2011 Newsletter for Blended and Step Families

In this month’s Newsletter:

• Celebrating Mother’s Day
• Getting reading for summer vacation time
• Two new coaches for The Blended and Step Family Resource Center
• Fifth year anniversary sale!

Celebrating Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is this weekend and some of you are wondering who you should honor on this special day. The answer is- anyone who is caring for your child in the mother’s position in your home. This could be a biological mom, a stepmom, a fiancée, a grandparent or friend that is helping. You should especially include those stepmoms who are not biological moms.  It’s easy to remember to honor the “real” mom, but the stepmoms are the ones who care for children all throughout the year, make sacrifices, rearrange their schedules, and do what’s best for your children, and rarely hear a “thank you” from those kids.

Being a stepmom can be a thankless job. Stepmoms are compared to the biological mom, at all times.  If they try too hard, the kids may resent them for doing more than their bio mom. If they don’t try hard enough, then the kids dislike them for that too.  Stepmoms are in a lose/lose situation, unless you support them.  Mother’s Day is a great way to support your spouse and remind the kids to honor her. If you don’t have the kids on Mother’s Day- celebrate the next time they are with you.

Ways to honor a stepmom:  a card with a sincere note written inside describing what you appreciate about your stepmom.  (You can write for the little ones.) Gifts could include a small bouquet of flowers, preparing a special meal, or a couple of hand-written IOU’s with a note agreeing to do extra chores.

Another tough subject- remind your kids to honor their biological mom too. Part of successful co-parenting, is to remind the kids to honor Mom on Mother’s Day and her birthday, and Dad on Father’s Day and his birthday (and by the way- that includes stepparents, too- on their birthday.)  Being a good co-parent means reminding the kids to honor both mom and stepmom this Sunday.  Your entire blended family will benefit from this.

Getting ready for the summer

I hope, by now you have negotiated your summer visitation schedule with your ex. If you haven’t- stop what you’re doing, and begin this process. Once a schedule is in place, please respect the other parent’s life, and maintain the agreed-upon schedule.  Here are some articles that may help:

• Blended family vacations

• Blended family travel during the holidays

• Summer time tips for blended and step families

New Counselors at The Blended and Step Family Resource Center

We would like to welcome Logan Campbell in Charlotte, North Carolina and Sandra Staub in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Both are licensed professional counselors and have experience being in blended families.   You can read more about Logan and Sandra here.

5^th Year Anniversary Sale!

The Blended and Step Family Resource Center has been helping blended families for five years!  In honor of this anniversary, we are putting EVERYTHING on SALE!    Go to our online store and check out the great prices.  Sale ends May 23^rd at 6pm Eastern.

Note- we are discontinuing the Blended Family Survival Kit and have limited kits available. These kits will sell without the canister (you can store your Dinner Discussion cards in any canister, bowl or box.)  So- the price is reduced, along with the shipping costs. If you wanted a Blended Family Survival Kit and have been waiting, hurry and get one before we run out.

Talk to you again soon, and don’t forget Mother’s Day! 

Shirley

Shirley Cress Dudley, MA LPC NCC FACMPE

Director of The Blended and Step Family Resource Center, Charlotte North Carolina

Shirley@BlendedFamilyAdvice.com

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Quick Links

• Blended Family Website: http://www.TheBlendedandStepFamilyResourceCenter.com
• Articles: http://www.theblendedandstepfamilyresourcecenter.com/articlesandnewsletters
• Reader Contributions:  http://www.blendedfamilyadvice.com/readercontributions
• Step Family Coaching: http://www.TheBlendedAndStepfamilyResourceCenter.com/coaching