The Nacho Kids Podcast: Blended Family Lifesaver

** Disclaimer - mention of suicide **

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Michelle. Michelle's husband was a guest on our podcast on episode 84! They have been blending for 4-½ years. She has one bio son and 5 stepkids.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Adult stepkids living at home
• Marrying a widower
• Being a stepmomzilla
• Learning to Nacho
• Stepkid's choices could cause issues for custody of bio son

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Michelle. Michelle's husband was a guest on our podcast on episode 84! They have been blending for 4-½ years. She has one bio son and 5 stepkids.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Adult stepkids living at home
• Marrying a widower
• Being a stepmomzilla
• Learning to Nacho
• Stepkid's choices could cause issues for custody of bio son

*** Disclaimer *** - This episode has mention of drug addiction.

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Liz Colvard. Liz was a widow with six bio kids and married a widower with two kids. She and her husband married after knowing each other for only four months and have been blending for 2-½ years.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Being a widow with six bio kids
• Becoming a stepmom to kids whose bio mom has passed away
• Realizing you can't parent your stepkids like you do your bio kids
• Stepkids with behavior and learning issues
• You can't love problems away

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Dr. Sonia Cann-Milland. Sonia has been blending for 16 years, has three stepkids and two bio kids, one of which is on the spectrum.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Bio kids going to live with the other bio parent
• Having a bio child on the spectrum
• Bio kids' relationship with their stepmom
• Blended families and schools
• Transition periods

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews bio dad Robert! Robert is the husband of our guest last week, Paula. Robert has 10 bio kids and married Paula who had no bio children. He shares with us the blend and the struggles from his viewpoint.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Blending from a bio dad's perspective
• The stepparent wanting the stepkids to have more rules/consequences
• Different parenting styles
• Moving into the stepparent's home
• Being lax in parenting as a bio parent

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Paula. Paula has been blending for 8 years, has no bio kids of her own, and has 10 stepkids! There are two bio moms, one of which is absent.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Being a childless stepmom
• Having 10 stepkids
• Dealing with effects of an absent bio mom
• Significant other wanting the stepparent to love kids like their own
• Nachoing

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Kathy. Kathy has been blending for 5 years, has two bio kids, and six stepkids ages 43 to 9! Her grandson and stepdaughter are the same age and she is struggling with her husband not Nachoing her grandson.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Blended challenges as a grandmother
• Having a stepkid the same age as your grandkid
• Unexpected changes in the blend
• Stepdaughter being jealous of stepmom
• Significant other not Nachoing the step-grandkid

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews a stepmom from Texas! This stepmom has been blending for over 4 years. She has one stepdaughter and a 7-month old ours baby! She is also a stepchild herself.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Not having a court order for visitation or child support
• Being a stepkid
• Having an ours baby in the blend
• Boundaries with the bio mom

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Cari Ray! Cari and Lori have actually known each other since they were teenagers when Lori dated Cari's stepbrother. Cari is a bio mom to two boys and a stepmom to two girls! She's been blending for four years and has a great handle on Nachoing!

In this episode, we discuss:

• Learning to pause
• Different relationships with the "other" parent
• Being friends with bio mom and how it affects the blend
• Not responding to high conflict situations
• Stepkid messes

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Whitney. Whitney has been blending for 6 years and has one 14-year-old stepdaughter. She is childfree and loving it! Like many stepmoms, Whitney struggled with not taking things personally, feeling alone in the struggle, and letting go of some of the need for control in the home.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Not taking things personally
• Being pushed to tell stepkid you love them
• Feeling rejected by the stepkid
• Having a dad who is a stepkid
• Seeing a therapist