“Everything I’ve done and figured out in the wake of his death has been a first-hand, trial and error experience. This year, we did things a little differently.”
‘There’s no wrong way to celebrate or mourn your loved one. There’s no rulebook for this.’: Widow honors husband on anniversary of his passing, ‘Do what feels good for YOU’
‘She’s just my stepmom.’ I wasn’t on the daycare list. To this day, I’m left off emails because I’m not a ‘primary’ parent.’: Woman navigates blended family life, ‘I’m more than JUST a stepmom’
“I may not be the primary parent but I do pick-ups, drop-offs, school plays, birthday parties. I go to her sporting events. I do homework. I get her hair cut and her nails done. My resume is impeccable.”
‘My daughter said, ‘When you were married, you always fought. I’m happy now.’ Don’t think staying together for the kids will help.’: Mom shares co-parenting journey, ‘It won’t be this hard forever’
“I woke up from brain surgery knowing this was my second chance. This was not a marriage to be proud of. The kids deserved better, and so did we. The divorce was the best thing that ever happened to us.”
‘Oh! Is this your sister?’ We have learned to answer, ‘We are friends’ because it’s true! We are friends, family, and co-parents.’: Mom navigates co-parenting with bonus parents during holidays, ‘We work together for a common goal’
“Once Avery was born, I stayed with Zach and his girlfriend (now wife) Bailee. I still remember going to an appointment and Zach having to work, so Bailee came to the appointment with me. As we checked in the nurse said, ‘Oh! Is this your sister?'”
‘Do you remember your dad?’ She responded, ‘Which one?’ Our family dynamic changed completely.’: Widow shares ‘beautiful and complicated’ journey after loss
“It wasn’t just about our marriage. Our children gained a dad and siblings overnight. Blended. Forever.”
‘Your daddy loves you, and I love you too.’ Dustin honors Marcus as their father and helps them understand it’s okay to love both.’: Young widow shares blended family journey, creates ‘daddy books’ to honor late husband’s memory
“Dustin didn’t only declare vows to me, but he spoke vows to the children as well. ‘In just a little bit, I tell Mom ‘I do.’ And with that, I promise you forever too. We won’t always like each other or get along, but we need to promise we will love each other forever.'”
‘Your son has severe autism.’ I became a divorced mother of 2 post-diagnosis. Josh welcomed him with open arms.’: Special needs mom, bonus dad urge ‘our love knows no bounds’
“I asked myself, ‘Why would God bless other parents with perfectly healthy children? Why ME?’ Little did I know, divine intervention would bring my future husband into our lives at a time we needed him most. He is their biggest cheerleader, wanting to be involved in everything, like an amazing bonus dad should.”
‘None of this would be happening if my dad didn’t die.’: Widow feels guilt that teenage daughter is ‘absolutely right,’ learns to ‘forgive herself’ for not ‘saving’ husband from terminal cancer
“I had an argument with my teenage daughter. Through her tears, she said the one thing I have been dreading. I knew it was coming, but when she said it, it still took me to my knees. I was speechless. But you know what? She’s right. She is absolutely right. It’s not the same after her father’s death.”
‘No, we are not a same sex couple, but we do share a daughter. Not only did I gain a daughter, I gained a brother and a best friend.’: Dad’s celebrate co-parenting with impromptu photo shoot
“The guy on the left is me, and the guy on the right is bio dad. This is real, and this is us.”
‘If you ask my boy, he’d tell you, he has two dads and two moms. All 4 of us kept Jaden’s needs before our own. A loving, crazy, enormous, blended family.’
“Kristen was young. So young, I had my reservations. I learned very fast that just because another woman was parenting my child, didn’t mean she was taking my place.”
