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
best cleaning company Highland Park ..It was at that time when our marriage was falling... Read More
Is your baby approaching his or her first birthday and... Read More
The first year of a child's life is the most... Read More
Do you praise your child when he fulfils a basic... Read More
There is nothing quite like hiking with small children. The... Read More
Sex has a lot to answer for ? babies usually... Read More
The small, lilac colored hexagonal box, with Winnie the Pooh... Read More
I recall somewhere in the recesses of my aging brain... Read More
All babies cry, but if yours cries a lot, isn't... Read More
'Whose room is it anyway?'If you have a teenager, you're... Read More
What you say and do about money has a profound... Read More
Peaceful Parenting? ideas are very different from other kinds of... Read More
Summer Survival The... Read More
We all scream for ice cream. Or, we don't, at... Read More
Strollers offer a wonderful and convenient service to parents and... Read More
Adderall is a stimulant medication used in the treatment of... Read More
Our children are our most important legacy to the world.... Read More
Plus size children and overweight children need patterns and clothing... Read More
Kids today no longer live the kind of privileged lives... Read More
The main thing we noticed since having a baby is... Read More
Oh Please, Don't Say Maybe!!!!Are you often a participant in... Read More
Despite the potentially dangerous side-effects of Ritalin, public school authorities... Read More
Over a number of years there have been issues raised... Read More
One of the questions I ask in parenting presentations is... Read More
Would you like your child to be the best that... Read More
high-end home cleaning Winnetka ..When was the last time you and your kids rolled... Read More
Let's face it.The job market is getting tougher every day.Computerization... Read More
John Bishop's Goal Setting for Students.comLegacy to Your ChildrenIt's 6:30... Read More
When it comes to exams, or indeed any academic work,... Read More
Mother's Day is important for children.This Mother's Day take note... Read More
As a mother of two sets of fraternal boy/girl twins,... Read More
As thinking, acting human beings we have the ability to... Read More
Anyone can splurge on a formal dinner or a pricey... Read More
Picture this. Your child comes home with a special assignment... Read More
The law of -ing.The law of -ing refers to a... Read More
Attention all parents of teen-agers. Here is an important, groundbreaking... Read More
Drivers 16 years of age have little driving experience, putting... Read More
Do you have a wild child? Then this article may... Read More
Predicament:My son is 4 1/2 years old. His younger brother... Read More
Here is something that you might want to keep if... Read More
I will never forget the day that my daughter's sixth... Read More
Peaceful Parenting? ideas are very different from other kinds of... Read More
According to researchers, most children enter school with a good... Read More
A strange thing happened to me today. Or more precisely,... Read More
Jason Roberts listened to his son's explanation of the missing... Read More
Grandparents, what better way to stay close to your grown... Read More
Q. How do I overcome the 16-year-old who does things... Read More
Very often, new parents rely on a parenting tip or... Read More
A certain educator was once asked at what point should... Read More
No matter how old your children are, you have an... Read More
Parenting |