The Nacho Kids Podcast: Blended Family Lifesaver

In this episode, Lori Sims, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews a stepmom who has been blending for three years, has three bio kids 50/50, and two stepkids 50/50. Struggling with differences in parenting, she looked for information and found the Nacho Kids podcast. Something that was said in that podcast clicked! That's when her Nacho journey began! And now she and her husband Nacho each other's kids!

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Differences in parenting

• Nachoing each other's kids

• Feeling second

• Negative thinking

• Co-parenting dreams versus reality

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"I felt as if I had made the biggest mistake of my life after I married my husband. Things changed in our home, and not for the better. It didn't make sense. I read about Nacho Parenting a few months before in the Atlantic and decided it couldn't hurt to join their Academy. At their recommendation, I started the Nacho Kids Bootcamp and was truly shocked when I immediately saw positive changes in our home! My husband was shocked! I kept doing the work and I got so much out of the bootcamp, I decided to stay a member for at least another month. I enjoy the anonymous community and I want to take their Change Your Stinking Thinking Challenge. I just love that name! ~ J.S.

In this episode, Lori, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews a stepmom who has been blending for four years, has one stepdaughter 50/50, and is struggling with fertility issues. Despite the relationship with bio mom not being as smooth as before stepmom moved in, stepmom is very involved with stepdaughter and said she considers her as her own daughter.

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Infertility as a stepmom

• When your partner wants you to co-parent the stepkid

• Feeling like a nuclear family when you are in a blend

• When bio mom lies about your partner

• Moving into the home your partner shared with their ex

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"I don't normally leave reviews but felt I had to leave one for the Nacho Parenting Academy. I had just met a guy that had kids and really liked him when I heard about the Nacho Parenting stuff and found it very interesting. When our relationship got more serious, I asked him to join the Academy with me so we could educate ourselves more on the method and other methods prior to physically moving in together. He agreed. After watching several of the courses, we both looked at each other and said, "This is genius!". Needless to say, things have progressed in our relationship and we are planning to get married, and we both agree that once we get married, my role will not change. I will continue to be supportive of my partner, but I won't parent his kid. Thank you Nacho for giving us a great start to our blend!" ~ E.H.

In this episode, Lori, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews a stepmom from California! Being a stepkid herself, she thought her blend with her husband would be like the one she had as a stepkid. Of course, this blend was nothing like the one she knew. Her partner and his ex had a casual schedule regarding visitations and stepmom thought it should be more defined visitation and pushed her partner to get more time with his kids. This is something she regrets.

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Stepkid turned stepmom

• Partner feeling in the middle of step and other bio parent

• Coming in as super stepmom

• Food issues

• Some relationships are strained from the beginning

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"I had decided to leave my husband. I heard a friend mention the Nacho Kids podcast. I chose an episode at random to listen to. In that episode, the host said, "If you leave this blend, the likelihood of ending up in another blend is very high. Unless you work on the issues in your current blend, you're going to have the same struggles in the next blend." This hit me like a ton of bricks! I loved my husband, I was just tired from the blended stress. After hearing this and thinking a lot about it, I decided to work on our marriage! Thank you to the Nacho Kids podcast for reminding me my marriage was worth fighting for!" ~ C.S.

In this episode, Lori, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews a stepmom from Idaho. She has two stepkids, with two different bio moms, and one child of her own. To add to the stress of blending, three months before this stepmom and her partner married, he had an affair with one of his kid's bio moms. Stepmom chose to forgive him and work on healing from the affair. When stepmom became depressed from the blended stress, she started researching and found the Nacho Kids Academy!

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Healing after an affair

• Things changed after marriage

• Complaining about the stepkids

• Fighting amongst the bio and stepkids

• The art of re-engaging

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"When my husband and I got married, we thought we would be one big happy family like the Brady Bunch. We tried our best to nourish the relationships in the blend between the stepparents and kids and between the kids. Nothing worked. It was horrible. Thankfully, I heard of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting and joined their Academy. I cannot tell you how much the Academy helped us! We might not be like the Brady Bunch, but we finally have a blend everyone is happy in! If you are struggling in your blend, do not hesitate to join the Nacho Academy! You won't regret it." ~ R.N.

In this episode, Lori, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews stepmom Jenn. Jenn has been blending for 5 years, has three stepkids, and two "ours" kids. Like many stepmoms, Jenn came in gung ho ready to win stepmom of the year! As with every blend, the relationships have changed in her blend over time.

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Adding an "ours" kid to the blend

• Learning from Nacho

• Letting go of the nuclear family dreams

• Ebbs and flows of relationships in the blend

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"I'm a marriage counselor who is in a blended family. I found out about Nacho and decided to look further into it. I was amazed at what all is taught in the Nacho Kids Academy! There are so many tools to help you with your blend and in other areas of your life! I'm definitely referring the Academy to some of my clients and friends! One of them will be my wife!" ~ J.Q.

In this episode, Lori, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews stepmom Ashley. Ashley has been blending for five years, has two stepkids and two ours kids. Ashley was also a stepkid herself, and considers her stepdad her dad.

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Different parenting styles

• Stepparent is with the kids more than the bio parent

• Your partner is still close with their ex

• Stepparent dealing with the ex more than their partner does

• Trying to be fair between the kids

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"I truly hated my life before I found Nacho. I was depressed, anxious and felt completely alone. By joining the Nacho Academy, I met people just like me! I was not alone! Not only was I not alone, but I now had friends with a common goal of learning to Nacho and better our blends! It has been awesome seeing all of us grow together and find happiness in the blend." ~ A.N.

In this episode, Lori, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews stepmom Alison with Be Stepwise. Alison, who was a stepkid herself, has been blending for 28 years, has two stepkids and two bio kids. Her stepkids' mom was deceased and their grandmother took on a mothering role. Alison's mother also passed away, so Alison felt she could relate to her stepkids' loss of their mother.

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• When the grandmother takes over the mothering role

• Stepparents finding fault with stepkids

• Kids still grieving when parent re-partners

• Stepparents should not assume their role as a parent

• Personal growth as a stepmom

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"Because of Nacho Parenting, I was able to come off my depression medicine! I never thought I'd be able to do that! Even my doctor is impressed with the results of Nacho Parenting. After seeing the change it made in me, she said she's going to refer patients to the Nacho Academy!" H.H.

In this episode, Lori, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews bio dad Eric. Eric was alienated from his kids by his ex. Thankfully, the family court system recognized the alienation and ruled in Eric's favor. But unfortunately, there was no support for him to rebuild those relationships after being alienated and therapy seemed to make things worse.

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Dealing with parental alienation

• The family court system and parental alienation

• Partner needing to Nacho

• Therapy can make things worse

• The effects of parental alienation

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"I was to the point I hated my stepkids. I never said it out loud, but my husband knew. A coworker mentioned Nacho Parenting to me when she saw how miserable I was after getting the stepkids. I figured it couldn't hurt to look into it. Thank goodness I did! It has changed my life! Thank you Nacho for saving us!" F.W.

In this episode, Lori, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews Monica Chaney of The Worthy Stepmom. Monica is childfree by choice, has been blending for eleven years, and has three stepkids. Recently Monica gained a stepmother herself when her dad, who is 81 years young, got remarried!

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Being a childfree stepmom

• Becoming a stepkid as an adult

• Different kinds of love

• Being second wife

• Taking things personally

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"This step family journey is not for the weak. We have been struggling for so long and we were tired. We decided to check out this Nacho Parenting thing we heard about on Headline News when Lori and David were guests. We cannot believe the change Nachoing has had on our step family in just a few weeks! We are so glad we decided to join the Nacho Academy instead of continuing to live in a state of unhappiness and stress." L.Q.

In this episode, Lori, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews Christine Miles, author of "What Is It Costing You To Not Listen?". One of the biggest struggles couples have, in nuclear and blended families, is communication. Listening plays an integral part of communicating, and unfortunately not many have been taught how to listen.

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In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Enemies of listening

• Compass questions

• Flashlight tool

• Knowing where you are in the story

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"I wish I could hug Lori and David's necks! They never gave up on me, even when I wanted to give up on myself. They told me some hard truths that I had been denying for years. Accepting these truths put me on the path to healing and learning to Nacho!" A.H.