by Gayla Grace | Aug 13, 2019 | Blog, take care of yourself
They needed help. Several years ago, I spoke with two stepmoms who were covered up with too much to do and too little time to do it. They were trying to do it all by themselves. With kids at home and constant household duties, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and...
by Gayla Grace | May 20, 2014 | acceptance, Blog, conflict, take care of yourself
I’m including a guest post today from Shawn Hartwell, founder and CEO of StepSpeak in Quebec, Canada. My girlfriend and I often struggled and fought in a toxic relationship. I wanted us to be together but didn’t realize I was making the same mistake over...
by Gayla Grace | Aug 1, 2013 | attitude, Blog, stepfamily relationships, stepparenting choices, take care of yourself
As the summer begins to wind down for many of us, the days are HOT and long. Stepchildren around every day can make for additional challenges. I’ve heard from several stepmoms lately who are barely treading water. Even with the best plans for a fruitful and...
by Gayla Grace | May 9, 2013 | Blog, feelings, stepmother role, take care of yourself, Uncategorized
One of the hardest hurdles to cope with as a stepparent is the reality that we make the same sacrifices as a biological parent but reap very few rewards for our efforts. In his book, The Smart Stepfamily, Ron Deal gives three reasons why the stepmother role is even...
by Gayla | May 9, 2012 | Blog, loyalty conflict, peace, stepmother role, take care of yourself
One of the hardest hurdles to cope with as a stepparent is the reality that we make the same sacrifices as a biological parent but reap very few rewards for our efforts. In his book, The Smart Stepfamily, Ron Deal gives three reasons why the stepmother role is even...
by Gayla | Mar 13, 2012 | Blog, boundaries, conflict, stepfamily relationships, take care of yourself
As I was listening to my friend complain about the disrespectful behavior from her stepson, I couldn’t help but think, “Why haven’t you established some boundaries that would allow you to take care of yourself instead of putting up with his...
by Gayla | Dec 19, 2011 | attitude, Blog, stepfamily holiday tips, stepfamily relationships, take care of yourself
As we head into the holidays, life gets dicey. Emotions are heightened as we try to find the perfect gift for our stepchild or negotiate that last-minute schedule change with our ex. And if we, as stepparents, are carrying emotions too closely to our heart, we can...
by Gayla | Nov 29, 2011 | Balance, Blog, peace, stepfamily holiday tips, stepfamily relationships, successful stepparenting, take care of yourself
Our family leaves on an extended holiday trip in just over 2 weeks and I keep wondering how I’m going to get everything done. So, here are a few tips I’ve created to help myself maintain balance during this busy time of year...
by Gayla | May 3, 2011 | Blog, loyalty conflict, Rejection, stepmother role, take care of yourself
With Mother’s Day only a few days away, you may be thinking about how your stepchildren will handle the celebration. It tends to be an awkward holiday for many stepmothers, including myself at times. We don’t know whether to expect anything from our...
by Gayla | Mar 10, 2011 | attitude, Blog, boundaries, conflict, Grace, love, take care of yourself
Angry. Humiliated. Disgruntled. I left our church choir rehearsal with a flood of emotions circulating through my mind. As a piano accompanist, I had been belittled in front of the choir. It wasn’t the first time it had happened but I vowed it would be the last....
by Gayla | Mar 4, 2011 | attitude, Balance, Blog, character, feelings, forgiveness, stepparenting choices, take care of yourself
What’s stressing you today? Have the little things of life become big things because you’re having trouble letting go? Is your stepchild relationship experiencing a small leak that’s about to lead to a blowout?How we react to what happens around...
by Gayla | Jan 19, 2011 | Balance, Blog, boundaries, take care of yourself, Waiting
Our greatest fear as individuals and as a church should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” Francis Chan I’ve always admired Tony Dungy. As head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, he was the first African American coach to...
