“I ended up getting pregnant with Josh’s baby in late October. I remember Josh looking at me once we read the pregnancy test and he asked, ‘What will Riley think of me?’ I was completely heartbroken. I couldn’t believe he would say those words to me. What about me, what about our baby?”
‘Alesha’s pregnant and Josh is the father?’ My world stopped. ‘THIS ISN’T TRUE!’ I chose to believe him.’: Bonus mom shares journey through tumultuous relationship to peaceful co-parenting
‘His daughter exclaimed, ‘Please, keep me safe!’ My heart melted. ‘Yes, baby girl, I will always keep you safe.’: Woman shares journey to being a step-mom, ‘I cherish their trust’
“I remember being both wary and excited, especially because I had never dated someone with kids before.”
‘She BETTER stay in her lane!’ It was NOT the introduction I was expecting.’: Woman learns to embrace son’s ‘bonus mom’
“All my walls came down. She was the perfect BONUS MOM. Her heart was as big as the smile which greeted me. For the first time, being a blended family didn’t seem so bad.”
‘My stepdaughter took a shirt from my hands. ‘This is how my mom does it.’ It felt like a harsh slap back to reality.’: Stepmom shares journey blending families, ‘I love them all equally’
“I didn’t know who I was to them. ‘One day, I’ll have my own.’ I built up so many expectations of this little baby. I’d never feel like I didn’t belong in my family again.”
‘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.”
‘There’s nothing more we can do.’ I hit his chest to wake him up, screaming his name. My world turned upside down.’: Woman beats drug addiction after losing brother, ‘It is possible’
“When I woke up, I was starting to withdraw. I asked Anthony if he wanted one and he grunted. Because he was sick, I helped him shoot up. When I looked down, his eyes were rolled back into his head.”
‘Let’s give this a go, shall we?’ The first time we met, I can’t even tell you how nervous I was. It’s about giving up control.’: Moms co-write blended family journey, ‘Life is humbling and messy’
“It’s weird meeting the one your husband had a relationship with. Turns out, the fear was worse than the situation itself. She was kind, bringing wine and cake. She got it.”
‘Your boyfriend and his ex are traveling together? You’re okay with this?!’ I laughed to myself, thinking about Corey driving Robin nuts the entire trip.’: Bonus mom shares co-parenting bond, ‘She makes me feel like part of the family’
“Some days I’m her confidante, some days her big sister, some days her disciplinarian. I love Corey to death, but right is right. When he’s screwing up and Robin gets painted as the bad cop, I say so.”
‘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?'”
‘I’m not cut out for this.’ The world crashed down on me, one backward diaper at a time.’: Woman gives candid account of stepmom journey, ‘It takes time to find your place’
“I met and fell in love with my dream guy. He was all the things I had hoped to find in a partner. But there was a catch. He came as a package deal! I had NO idea how to parent.”
