A stepparent’s job is never easy. And unfortunately, it only gets harder when your stepchild hits adolescence.

No matter how much loving care you give, all too often stepparents experience rejection and anger from their stepchild. A stepparent becomes the target of the teen’s regret.

It might come from her sense of loss. She might even believe—incorrectly—that her life would be much happier and problem-free if you’d never come along.

So if tensions are high right now between you and your step-teen, take heart. Though you can’t force her to stop thinking the way she does, her feelings of loss won’t go on forever.

And one day, she’ll understand the other side, and see you as her solution, not her problem.

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