Tag Archive for: Michelle Zunter

The Passionate Stepmom Is Not Made, She’s Built

I’m a mom and a stepmom. I know both jobs are two of the hardest, sometimes most thankless jobs on the planet. But one of those roles has been more of a personal challenge for me than the other. Can you guess which one it is? Yup…
Big Family

What is the Role of a Stepparent? Redefining Parenting — One Step At A Time

Stepparents have been around for a long time. They’ve stepped in, stepped up, and they have patiently allowed themselves to be painted into the background on many occasions. There are stories of wicked stepmothers both in real life and…
Mother and Daughter

‘I Don’t Have A Stepmom’

My daughter and I were cuddled up on the couch watching something together. Somehow, the subject of her brother came up and how I was his stepmom. No big deal. But then she turned to me and said, ‘Well, you are his stepmom. But I don’t…
Stepmum smiling

4 Traits of Highly Effective Stepmoms

1. Self-Awareness It’s healthy for every person and parent out there to have developed a generous sense of self-awareness, but for a stepmom, it can be particularly useful. No matter what your situation as a stepmom is, whether it’s…
Woman walking on a road

Six Life Lessons I’ve Learned Being a Stepmom

Along my step-parenting journey, I have learned some intense lessons that have become my tested tools for life. Some of these tools were already in my repertoire, but since I became a stepmom they have been completely transformed into the…
Woman Thinking

Five Essential Questions to Ask Yourself Before Becoming a Stepmom

The decision to be part of someone’s life on a long-term basis is a monumental one. If the person you love has children from a previous relationship or marriage, then making sure this decision is the right one for you and everyone…
Stepmum and Stepson

How My Stepson Changed the Way I Parent

I consider the bond I have built with my stepson to be one of the most important and meaningful relationships of my life. I also consider him to be one of the major influences in how I parent my own daughter. At the beginning of my step-parenting…
Stepmum and Stepchild

Why It’s OK To Love Your Stepchildren Like Your Own ― And What That Really Means

As I started off my role as a stepmom, I would hear people say, “You can’t possibly love your step-kids as your own. It’s not the same.” At the beginning of my stepmom journey, I would say that I agreed with that statement. I…
Sad Stepmum

Three Tips for Stepmoms to Recover From Terrible Days

We all have terrible, no good, and downright atrocious days as human beings. As a wife, mother, and stepmother I have plenty of those days myself. The difference for stepmoms is that, quite often, there are not many people around us who…
Pensive Stepmom

What My Worst Moments As A Stepmom Have Taught Me

There's a lot I still don't know about being a completely healthy, well-adjusted stepmom. There's a lot I'm still figuring out. It's definitely a complicated balancing act of epic proportions. But there are things I've been continually learning…
Stepmum Inner Strength Concept

I’m Not A Perfect Stepmom

No stepmom likes to think of herself as bitter, angry, or resentful. No stepmom likes the idea of other people seeing her in that light either. A lot of people have referred to me as, "the best stepmom in the world," or, "the perfect stepmom."…
Happy Woman

How Becoming A Stepmom Made Me Love Myself More

When I first came on the scene in the beginning stages of dating my now-husband, I had very little concept as to how dating a single father and becoming a stepmom would ultimately change my life. The biological mother of my now-stepson didn’t…
Stepmum Feeling Sad

To All The Stepmoms in The Trenches

For the determined stepmom who is in the trenches, I feel you. For the new stepmom who cried this morning, I’ve been there. For the seasoned stepmom who still battles resentment, I’m with you. This road can feel…