Stepmothers - Not So Wicked Any More

When I became a stepmother, I was in love. Not only with my husband, but with his bright, sweet, delightful daughter. Becoming a blended family was a pretty easy transition because she and I had bonded during the three years I dated her dad. And we are truly blessed that her mother is 100% supportive of her having a good relationship with her father and with me.

Only one of my close friends was a stepmom at the time, so I relied heavily on her experience. But we're hardly unique. In the U.S. alone there are 1.1 million stepmothers and 3.3 million stepfathers living with one or more stepchildren, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics for 2004. And those numbers don't capture the many stepparents who maintain a strong relationship with non-custodial stepchildren.

If you are a stepparent - or a stepchild - what helps your relationship? What makes it challenging? Please share your experiences in the forum.

More:

• The Wicked Stepmother in Fairy Tales
• Stepfathers Outnumber Stepmothers Five Fold
• Stepfathering Your Teen
• Introducing Children to a Serious Love Interest