by Gayla | Nov 27, 2012 | attitude, Blog, feelings, stepfamily holiday tips, stepfamily relationships, stepparenting choices
I’ll never forget the first holiday season our family celebrated together. My husband and I had married in mid-October and the holidays descended upon us before we could get settled in our new surroundings. My expectations of a joyous holiday season quickly...
by Gayla | Nov 7, 2012 | attitude, Blog, co-parenting, conflict, stepfamily holiday tips
Taken from our e-book, “Unwrapping the Gift of Stepfamily Peace,” I want to share some thoughts on how to make co-parenting work. Our son, Nathan, hangs with a friend whose parents are divorced. Nathan came back from a birthday party, talking about...
by Gayla | Nov 1, 2012 | Blog, Faith, Uncategorized
I’m generally not a politically charged person – I don’t like the drama that surrounds elections. But I think this election could be one of the most significant in my lifetime and the end results will affect my stepfamily and yours. I believe our...
by Gayla | Oct 10, 2012 | Blog, Change, stepfamily relationships, stepparenting choices, successful stepparenting, Uncategorized
I love watching the giddiness of pre-married couples in our stepfamily class. They are in love and somewhat blinded to what lies ahead. Maybe that’s a good thing. Thankfully, they’re trying to educate themselves on how to do stepfamily life before...
by Gayla | Oct 2, 2012 | Blog, conflict, expectations, Faith, feelings, stepparenting heartache, Uncategorized
I sent my son to bed last night with consequences for his lack of obedience on a homework issue. He wasn’t happy with me and barely said good night as I left his room. But as his mom, seeking to raise a responsible young man, I knew I needed to address the...
by Gayla | Sep 12, 2012 | attitude, Blog, character, feelings, love, loyalty
“I don’t feel the same way toward my stepchildren as I do my biological children,” a stepmother recently admitted. “I feel guilty when I say that, but it’s the truth.” “That’s okay, ” I replied. “The...
by Gayla | Sep 5, 2012 | Blog, conflict, feelings, successful stepparenting, Uncategorized
As I felt my heart begin to race, I knew I had to settle down before I said something I shouldn’t. I said a quick prayer to calm my soul and ask for guidance. My anger was boiling. And I wasn’t sure how to proceed with the conversation. I was in a heated...
by Gayla | Aug 29, 2012 | Blog, Faith, Fear
This month marks the eight year anniversary of the loss of my stepchildren’s mother after a fierce battle with colon cancer. It’s always a hard month for them as they reflect on life without her. When I married my husband, I had no way of knowing such a...
by Gayla | Aug 22, 2012 | Blog, Fear, feelings, perseverance, Prayer, stepfamily relationships
She was looking forward to some time alone as her husband left for a business trip to India. With three stepchildren in the throes of the teen years, life wasn’t easy. Married for less than two years, she had no idea the challenges that would erupt when she...
by Gayla | Aug 15, 2012 | attitude, Balance, Blog, expectations, Prayer, stepparenting choices
Our youngest son started middle school last week as a 6th grader and has had some intimidating moments at his new school. He started off in the wrong classroom for homeroom but didn’t discover it until the teacher called roll. He left to go to the correct...
by Gayla | Aug 9, 2012 | Balance, Blog, boundaries, love, stepfamily relationships
My stepson moved from Conway, AR to Austin, TX this past week. After graduating from college, he opted to explore the big-city scene of Austin as a single person. He spent a few days at our house during the transition. The weeks prior to the move, we were in contact...
by Gayla | Jul 3, 2012 | attitude, Blog, Faith, feelings, stepfamily relationships
In browsing search terms that determine how people find my blog, I notice periods of time–such as long, summer months–when stepparents reach out for help more than others. Below are some of the recent search terms listed by stepparents. Do any of these...