Co-parenting

I swore I wouldn't give my daughter Franny a cell phone until she was thirteen. And whenever my nine-year-old asked, as she had been doing more frequently, "Mom, when can I have a cell phone?" this is what I told her. There were a few reasons why I thought 13 was the magic cell phone number. She'd be responsible enough not to lose it. She'd be old enough to coordinate her own social plans. Her dad got her brother an iPhone when he was thirteen and I wanted to be fair.  Read more >

I am the proud (step)mom of a lovely 4-year-old little lady, with whom I share an incredibly close bond. I have been wearing my “mommy” shoes since her (single) father and she moved into my home when she was a 9-month-old baby. Her biological mother suffers from behavioral and mental illnesses that cause extreme outbursts and instability, and at the time she was not at all interested in being present in her daughter’s life.Recently, however, the Biological Mother has been seeking help and has been trying to step back into the picture. Although this should be a great thing—the more love, the better!—I am starting to get really worried about our little family’s future. We are expecting a baby this winter, and the news of a new child in the family is sure to set off past issues with Bio Mom. This is supposed to be such a happy time for us yet all I feel is STRESS STRESS STRESS!HELP!Step-Mommy Dearest  Read more >