As a step daughter and step grand daughter, I followed the examples that were set for me years before when I became a step parent. The way my stepson finally came to love and respect me as his step mother, was through all of the "trying" experiences we had. Excuse the pun, but raising kids is a very trying experience!
One of the first times my stepson "tried" or tested my word and consistency was over catching the school bus. Nick was not a morning person and that made getting up in time for school in the morning a problem. Myself having lunches to pack, and two other kids who were already responsible for getting themselves up, Nick knew that I expected him to do his thing in the morning. When he missed the bus the first time, I informed him that I would drive him to school that one time, and one time only!
Just a couple of weeks later on another early school morning, I could tell Nick was going to miss the bus if he didn't move a lot faster and told him so. I left it at that, went about my business, and sure enough Nick came to me with a sorrowful look on his face saying that he had missed the bus. I said, "You had better get your rollerblades on then or you will be late for the start of school!" Nick was incredulous and asked if I was sure I could not take him to school, and I told him that he got his one and only ride the first time he missed the bus and he better get a move on.
His next excuse was that he was going to be all sweaty if he had to blade all the way to school (about 4 miles), and I told him to take an extra shirt. When next I saw him, he was sitting on the curb in front of our house lacing his skates up, shirt off, back pack at the ready and I watched him skate off down the road with a smile on my face.
He had just experienced the result of testing my consistency as a step parent and found that it was the same as my habit with my biological kids! Whether they know it or not, all kids feel safe, special, and protected when rule is consistently applied.
Sandy Williams, Life Coach at International Stepfamily Foundation, member of Stepfamily Association of America & founder of http://www.stepfamilysuccess.com
quick home cleaning Glenview ..More and more parents are expressing their concerns about how... Read More
A small town, somewhere in the world, was managed by... Read More
Rule #1 Make Every Bite Count!Everything your child eats should... Read More
Are you a professional?Notice how the questions differs from, "Do... Read More
One of parents' most important duties is to protect their... Read More
"Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing... Read More
I wanted to share with you one of the most... Read More
Diapers..Changing a dirty diaper is not the best part of... Read More
There are a lot of sophisticated parenting theories and techniques... Read More
'I felt great until I walked into the classroom -... Read More
More and more kids these days are diagnosed ADD, ADHD,... Read More
Annie easily slipped into becoming the sole caregiver of her... Read More
Paula's last child had just gone off to college and... Read More
"Money is tight, and my husband's obsessed with doing everything... Read More
We all scream for ice cream. Or, we don't, at... Read More
The time you will need to teach your children the... Read More
1. They are leaders as well as parents. They don't... Read More
For several years now, I've told the following story as... Read More
I hear from many parents that their child is stressed... Read More
"Get down from the table top right now! What are... Read More
Have you ever wondered why toys for babies tend to... Read More
Raising a pre-teen or teenage daughter (or son) is not... Read More
The key to lifelong learning is reading and writing. When... Read More
How bad is the illegal drug problem here in the... Read More
Libraries offer more than books. They are places of learning... Read More
scheduled maid service Winnetka ..Kids today no longer live the kind of privileged lives... Read More
"I WON'T DO IT!" "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"Whether parent or... Read More
Best friends! It may seem impossible to believe, but today's... Read More
A while ago I received this story from David in... Read More
The wonderful adaptability of children in dealing with the challenges... Read More
Once your little boy/girl goes off to school, you may... Read More
One of the most prevalent myths of our modern culture... Read More
Q. How do I overcome the 16-year-old who does things... Read More
Dan Rather made a significant and tactical error and got... Read More
It's no surprise that the self-image and self-esteem of overweight... Read More
As the new school year begins, parents play a pivotal... Read More
I had my first two children on either side of... Read More
Grandparents, what better way to stay close to your grown... Read More
Predicament:My son is 4 1/2 years old. His younger brother... Read More
You are in the final round of your favorite game... Read More
So you want to be a mum? Every time you... Read More
I was changing Ford's diaper the other day when he... Read More
Until about the age of six, children do not generally... Read More
Most of us really don't like it when someone is... Read More
How are parents to know they are doing the right... Read More
Parents of teenagers frequently ask what can be done to... Read More
Working with adults (as well as children and teens) for... Read More
Strollers offer a wonderful and convenient service to parents and... Read More
Who Can Register A Birth? The child's mother... Read More
The Theme from MASHI flipped the button on the remote... Read More
Parenting |