My 1st Stepfamily Halloween: a Precursor for Future Holidays

My 1st Stepfamily Halloween: a Precursor for Future Holidays

… This would be THE FIRST of any family event, yet alone with the kids’ mom. Although we’d been together over a full year, I had never been invited to any of the “family” things, including his eldest daughter’s high school graduation. …
She showed up drunk, brought alcohol with her, and walked to our local convenient store for a little more. ** Red Flag Alert!!** ‘This is not a good sign!’ my brain screamed at me. At that moment, all I knew is that wherever she was going to be, I was going to be somewhere else.

National Stepfamily Day as a Sacred Journey Marker

National Stepfamily Day as a Sacred Journey Marker

Today (Sept 16th) is National Stepfamily Day (NSD). For me, it carries a mixed bag of emotions. On the highest level, I honor it. … more positivity was infused into the narrative ~ a much-needed and welcomed response! However, This day also brings up the unfortunate aspects of my own personal experience. See, my stepfamily experience ended. Although it was amicable, it was accompanied by immense heartbreak, confusion, and resentment. I’m not alone in this experience. In fact, I represent the majority of adult co-parents in a stepfamily. … I don’t feel like a “failure” for its ending. Yet, I simultaneously feel the desire to acknowledge this day as a representation of my story ~ and the multitude of people who, like me, have experienced it as a so-called “failure”. As well as the multitude of people who are on the brink of a re-divorce as I type this.