Stepkids need parenting.

Tiny Pep Talks for Stepparents

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It shouldn’t be a newsflash to say kids of divorce still need parenting… AND YET, that is the topic of today’s pep talk.

A child's parents not being together anymore does not negate the reality that kids need structure. They need a regular routine. They need guidance from the adults around them. All of this helps kids feel safe and secure.

However, many single parents feel guilty about giving their kids rules, or correcting poor behavior. They think they’re doing their kids a favor — giving them a break, taking it easy on them.

Except, when kids are living in a world without structure, routine, or age-appropriate expectations, they're actually likely to feel MORE stressed, not LESS stressed. Kids feel reassured by predictability; without knowing what to expect, they start worrying that no one's really in charge.

How do we reassure them? By parenting them. This is the gift we can give them to help them grow into responsible, grounded, self-confident adults.

If your partner is on the permissive parent train and doesn’t understand this, Dan & I are happy to be the ones who deliver that message. Sometimes it’s easier for our partners to hear this from an outsider instead of from us, the stepparents. So grab your partner and go check out our guide: ➡️ HOW TO ACTUALLY BLEND: THE MISSING INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR STEPCOUPLES 👀 We talk about a lot of essentials for blending a family, including why kids need parenting. We really hope it helps! xo

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