Tiny Pep Talks for Stepparents

Don’t parent more than your partner!

💬 Send us a text! (Yes really!)When you’re in a relationship with someone who has children, by definition that implies that you’ve agreed to help parent those kids. Let me just say that again: you’ve agreed to help parent. Which implies that your partner should already be parenting their kids.Stepparents: you can't parent your stepkids unless your partner is willing to actively support you in a parenting role. Nor can you parent your stepkids more than your partner is willing to do themselves...

Duration:: 1m
Broadcast on:: 03 Aug 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

💬 Send us a text! (Yes really!)

When you’re in a relationship with someone who has children, by definition that implies that you’ve agreed to help parent those kids. Let me just say that again: you’ve agreed to help parent. Which implies that your partner should already be parenting their kids.

Stepparents: you can't parent your stepkids unless your partner is willing to actively support you in a parenting role. Nor can you parent your stepkids more than your partner is willing to do themselves. Not if you want to stay sane, that is.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.⠀⠀

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If you’re pulling your hair out over a partner who isn’t parenting and your house feels way too close to Lord of the Flies for your personal comfort level, please please please go read this: ➡️ THE DISENGAGING ESSAY 👀

Because there’s a HUGE DIFFERENCE between helping parent someone else's kids vs taking all the parenting responsibilities upon yourself while your partner continues not parenting. Cross that line and you'll find yourself in burnout territory mighty quick. xo⠀⠀⠀

Need a bigger pep talk? Start here or join us over on Substack! xo

🧡 Need a bigger pep talk? Start here or join us over on Substack! xo

When you're in a relationship with someone who has kids, by definition, that implies that you've agreed to help parent those kids. Let me just say that again. You've agreed to help parent, which implies that your partner should already be parenting their kids step parents. You cannot parent your step kids unless your partner is willing to actively support you in a parenting role, nor can you parent your step kids more than your partner is willing to do themselves. Not if you want to stay sane, that is. If you're pulling your hair out over a partner who is not parenting and your house feels way too close to Lord of the Flies for your personal comfort level, please, please, please go read the disengaging essay. I will link it right in the show notes because there is a huge difference between helping parents, someone else's kids versus taking all the parenting responsibilities upon yourself while your partner continues not parenting. Cross that line, you'll find yourself in burnout territory mighty quick. And I don't want that for you. And I know you don't want it for yourself. So read the disengaging essay and it will get you pointed in the right direction.