Every parent needs a break from parenting once in a while, and that includes stepparents.

Typically, society doesn’t accuse parents who need a break of hating their kids. Yet society loves to imply there’s something wrong with a stepparent who needs a break.

Today’s pep talk is to remind you that you’re allowed to take time off from your stepkids, just like any other parent, and taking that break does not make you a bad stepparent who hates your stepkids. Because just like any other parent, stepparents run the risk of overdoing and burnout if we don't take a step back once in awhile to recharge.

It’s common for stepparents to find ourselves on the verge of burnout because the bar we set for ourselves in this role was way too high to begin with. The standards we expect from ourselves were never realistic or achievable, but we don’t realize that when we’re first starting out. In fact, we might not connect those dots till months or years later when we feel like omg I am exhausted and I cannot deal with visitation this week. What is wrong with me?!

Nothing’s wrong with you. You just need a break. And you’re allowed to take one. xo

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