Love, Darlene: Stepmom Life & Blended Families

You may recognize them from VH1's You're Cut Off! or Bravo's Below Deck Sailing Yacht, but there's so much more to Jess Cimato and Erica Rose Sanders than what you've seen on television!

With 16 years of friendship between them, these two have experienced reality TV, personal growth, marriage, motherhood, and some unexpected chapters along the way.

This week, they're pulling up a chair at the kitchen table for a conversation that goes well beyond the cameras.

Jess shares her experience navigating life as a newly married stepmom, while Erica brings her perspective as a family-law attorney. Together, we unpack the realities of blended families, co-parenting, boundaries, adult conflict, and what it really means to put children first.

We also talk about friendship, public perception, the importance of extending grace, and why healthy relationships require more than simply being right.

And yes, we get into a little reality TV along the way! 👀

Whether you're a biological parent, stepparent, or simply someone learning to navigate complicated relationships, there's something in this conversation for you.

Pull up a chair. The kitchen table is open! 💗

🎙️ Love, Darlene | New episodes every Monday

Connect with Jess: @jesscimato

Connect with Erica Rose: @ericatherose @slayingdownthelaw @rosesanderslaw

In this episode, I'm joined by Nicole Linn Mueller, a mediator and co-parenting specialist who helps divorcing parents create thoughtful, effective parenting plans that put their children's needs first.

We're talking about why a strong parenting plan matters, how clear expectations can reduce conflict, and the importance of building a framework that supports communication, consistency, and healthy co-parenting after divorce.

Connect with Nicole:

Website: www.coparentingwithnicole.com

AJ Adams, host of the Just My Baby Daddy podcast and founder of the JMBD Foundation, joins me for an honest conversation about fatherhood, co-parenting, accountability, and what it really means to be present.

We talk about what dads often carry quietly, what women may not always see from the father’s side, where men still need to take responsibility, and how co-parenting changes when there are new relationships and blended-family dynamics involved.

AJ’s message is simple: Presence > Everything.

This is a candid kitchen-table conversation about dads showing up, staying involved, setting boundaries, and why fathers matter far beyond child support or every-other-weekend parenting.

Follow AJ:

Just My Baby Daddy Website

Instagram

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Kelly Barron for a powerful conversation about what children need most when adults are navigating conflict, separation, blended-family dynamics, and even estrangement.

We talk about the long-term impact of the stories adults tell, what happens when children feel caught between people they love, and how estrangement can take shape over time, and why putting the child first has to mean more than saying words.

Because sometimes the greatest gift we can give a child is the freedom to have their own relationship, their own feelings, and their own story..without carrying ours.

Connect with Dr. Kelly Barron

Instagram
Podcast Instagram

In this episode, we're talking about what happens when loving a stepparent starts to feel complicated. From loyalty binds and changing relationships to the child who simply doesn't like you, we're unpacking how adult emotions can shape a child's behavior and why kids should never have to chose who they're allowed to love.

We'll also talk about giving relationships time, respecting the child's pace, staying consistent through difficult seasons, and creating enough emotional freedom for kids to love the people in their lives without guilt.

Follow along for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes:

• TikTok
• Instagram
• Facebook

In this episode, we're talking about one of the biggest contradictions in stepmotherhood: being expected to help, show up, sacrifice, and carry responsibility -- but reminded you're "not the parent" when you have an opinion.

We're unpacking responsibility, boundaries, burnout, Dad's role, and why loving your stepchild doesn't mean you have to prove it by carrying everything.

If you've ever thought, "So I'm good enough to help..but not enough to have a say?" this one is for you.

Follow along for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes:

• Tiktok
• Instagram
• Facebook
  

We talk a lot about the children who transition between two homes in a blended family, but what about the kids who stay????

In this episode, I'm joined by Amanda Gonzales and Morgan Lindahl of For the Kids Who Stay to talk about transition-day grief, "ours babies," sibling bonds, big emotions, and how blended-family dynamics can affect every child in the home.

We also talk about helping kids build resilience without dismissing what they're feeling and what parents can do to make those hard goodbyes a little easier.

Amanda, Morgan, and I will also be speakers at the upcoming Stepmom Summit (September 14 - 18, 2026), so the timing of this conversation couldn't be better. Grab your FREE TICKET!

Special offer: Purchase "How Many More Days?" and use the code LOVEDARLENE to get their "25 Transition Day Rituals" FREE!

Instagram: @forthekidswho.stay

Tiktok: @forthekidswho.stay

Facebook: For the Kids Who Stay

Website: www.forthekidswhostay.com

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What happens when you're tired of fighting -- but staying quiet doesn't feel right either?

In this bonus episode, I'm sharing a little about why I'm excited to be a part of The Stepmom Summit: Out Loud, happening September 14 - 18, 2026, and why this year's theme -- Find Your Voice. Take Your Place. No Apologies. -- hits so deeply for so many stepmoms.

My session, Not Every Battle Deserves Your Fight: Standing Firm and Staying Calm Even When Conflict Won't Quit, airs Wednesday, September 16 at 12 PM ET.

Want a FREE ticket to the summit? Click here: OUT LOUD

If you have any questions, email me at [email protected]

Can't wait to see you at THIS kitchen table!

Dating a man with a child and actually becoming the stepmom are two very different experiences.

In this episode, I'm taking you into the part of my story where blended family life got real. We're talking about expectations, boundaries, finding my place, navigating dynamics I didn't create, and the lessons I learned once I was no longer just dating Dad -- I was the stepmom

Follow along for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes:

• Tiktok
• Instagram
• Facebook

Before the stepmom title, there was a relationship. In this episode, we're talking about dating after divorce, finding yourself again, falling in love when you weren't really looking for it, and what happens when that relationship comes with a whole family system attached.

And yes...he really was supposed to be a free meal. lol

Follow along for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes:

• Tiktok
• Instagram
• Facebook