For the woman who never wanted to have children, I've been raising kids a pretty long time. Being a parent is challenging and vulnerable, and being a step-parent in some ways poses even more challenges. Cultural programming paints step-moms as evil, which only adds to the difficulties.

For a long time, I would compare my life to Carol Brady from The Brady Bunch. I had the blended family, but I would beat myself up that I wasn't like her. Until one day, I was able to get to this compassionate place, and consider, do I really want to be Carol Brady? 

We are often ruled by the cultural messages we receive throughout our lives. We don't realize that these cultural messages are becoming the vision or programming of how we're supposed to be living our life until the pain becomes too great.

I know many of you are raising a child that was birthed by another woman. Whether there is a legal document that states you are a bonus mom or not, I invite you to reframe the title of step-mom with all the negative connotations and own your role in this person's life. 

Whether parenting your step-kids, bonus kids, birth kids, or adopted kids, we are all bonuses to each other, not less than. Join me this week as I show you how to show up full of love for each other, reframe the way you think about roles, and allow all of the things that happen, even the messiness.

LISTEN HERE

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