The Inclusive Stepmom

I never in my life thought I’d lead a retreat. But the more days that go by since the very first Stepmom Retreat ended (like in the snap of a finger) the more proud I feel.

7 stepmoms prioritized themselves by coming to Utah and spending over 2 days deeply embedded in an agenda we prepared.

Tears were shed, pain was processed, successes were celebrated, and lifelong friendships were forced.

I couldn’t be more grateful 🤍

I blinked and summer {unofficially} ended. ☀️ here’s a recap of ours.

Remember: social media is mostly a highlight reel. Keep that in mind while scrolling, then post your own so you can look back at this season of life as a way to imprint those highlights.

Be deliberate about revisiting them when things are hard, because sometimes we forget.

Sometimes the big, bad, stressful things take up so much room. But the glimmers shine pretty damn brightly when we gather them all together 💡

Thanks for the memories, 2023 🎉

You know that saying “never go to bed angry?” Well, I think it’s bu****it in marriage...and ESPECIALLY in stepfamilies.

We face more conflict than the "average" family, and sometimes that means disagreeing or have stressful conversations in the heat of the moment, or sometimes after the kids go to bed.

But I had a client experience a total lightbulb moment once when I told her, "Maybe sometimes you both DO just need to sleep on it.”

It's ok to go to bed pi**ed. Sometimes we do need the time, and the space. I think it can actually be GOOD for your marriage or partnership.

My wife and I have avoided dozens of fights by simply sleeping on it. She has an Irish temper, and I have a penchant for drama, so if it can wait until morning, I let it. Otherwise, it's more likely we'll both wake up pi**ed AND tired.

Chances are, you're already tired if it's midnight and you're hashing it out. So give your permission to catch some Zzz's and look at the situation through the lens of a good night's sleep rather than someone who just got a bomb dropped on them. Try it. You'll thank me later.

What does it really mean to “stay in your lane”?

Stepkids & Discipline: When is a Stepparent Overstepping Boundaries? A stepparent overstepping boundaries is often like an imaginary line we often cross that looks different for everyone. Here are a few tips!