The holidays can feel like a ticking time bomb in blended families — forced togetherness, high expectations, and the pressure to make everything magical can lead to major tension between stepkids and bio kids.

In this episode, Alicia Krasko tackles the emotional chaos of holiday dynamics: sibling rivalry, stepkid drama, and what to do when your partner doesn’t step up. She shares practical tools, mindset shifts, and boundary-setting strategies to help you protect your peace — especially when the oldest child is acting like a second parent.

You’ll learn how to:

• Navigate step vs. bio kid tension during the holidays
• Talk to your partner when they won’t take the lead
• Recognize and relieve the “parentified” oldest child
• Set boundaries that keep the chaos in check
• Adopt a mindset of progress, not perfection

Whether you’re hosting the big dinner or just trying to survive another blended holiday, this episode gives you real-world support and permission to prioritize your peace.

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All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com
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Have you ever felt like an outsider in your own home? In this heartfelt and practical episode, Alicia breaks down why stepmoms often feel left out of family moments — and what you can do about it.

From unspoken group texts to being excluded from decisions and traditions, Alicia shares real-life examples (including a cringe-worthy moment at Cedar Point) that will have you nodding your head thinking, “Yes. That’s me.”

But more importantly, she gives you five practical strategies to help you feel seen, heard, and respected in your role — without begging for inclusion.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why feeling left out doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong
• How loyalty binds, emotional labor, and societal norms play into stepmom exclusion
• Common moments where stepmoms feel invisible
• How to speak up without blowing up
• How to create your own traditions, set boundaries, and reframe what inclusion really means

Whether you’re deep in the trenches or just starting your journey, this episode will remind you that you’re not invisible — and you’re definitely not alone.

👉 Need more support? Join us in The Stepmom Side Community
where we dive deeper into these topics together.

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Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here.
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All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com
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When your partner sides with the kids, it can feel like betrayal — or at the very least, like you’ve been completely shut out. This episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast digs into those moments of emotional hurt and confusion that so many stepmoms experience but few talk about openly.

We explore the power dynamics at play and the often invisible loyalty binds that pull at your partner — and how those dynamics can impact your marriage, your mental health, and the overall vibe in your blended family.

You’ll hear:

• Why siding with the kids is so common (and so painful)
• Scripts you can use when it happens
• Tools for repairing trust and rebuilding your team dynamic
• A reminder that you're not asking your partner to choose — you're asking to be seen

If you’ve ever felt unheard, disrespected, or like the “outsider” in your own home, this is a must-listen. You deserve a relationship that honors your voice and supports a united parenting approach.

Resources mentioned:

Free: Mastering the Stressors

Apply for Couples Coaching

Podcast episode: Caught in the Middle: The Truth About Dad Guilt in Stepfamilies

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Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here.
After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think!
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Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside.
All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com
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In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia gets real about one of the biggest misconceptions stepmoms have — that peace comes when everything is finally perfect....and then hear something going wrong in real time. :)

If you’ve ever thought, “Once the ex chills out… once the kids listen… once my partner gets it — THEN I’ll finally have peace,” this episode will feel like a breath of fresh air.

Alicia shares why chasing perfection only leads to burnout and resentment — and how true peace comes from within, not from a flawless blended family. She breaks down what peace actually looks like in stepmom life (even when chaos is still happening), plus three practical ways to choose calm over control.

You’ll walk away with a lighter heart and a powerful reminder:
Peace isn’t a reward for getting it all right. It’s what you deserve, even when everything’s still a little wrong.

Listen in to learn:

• Why perfection keeps you stuck in frustration and comparison
• What peace really looks like in everyday stepmom moments
• Three simple mindset shifts to choose peace, even in chaos
• How to stop waiting for everyone else to change before you feel calm

🎧 Tune in now and start finding your peace — no perfection required.

👉 Join The Stepmom Side Community for support, live coaching, and monthly mindset moments: aliciakrasko.com/community

Free Resource: Mastering the Stressors

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Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here.
After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think!
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Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside.
All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com
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What if you don’t like your stepkids? It’s the question that stepmoms whisper to themselves and rarely admit out loud. In this episode, Alicia unpacks why these feelings show up, why they don’t make you a “bad stepmom,” and how to move through them without shame.

You’ll learn:

• Why it’s normal to not always like your stepkids
• How societal expectations set stepmoms up for guilt
• Simple shifts to ease the tension when relationships feel strained
• How to release the pressure to force a bond

This is your permission slip: you don’t have to like your stepkids 24/7 to be a good stepmom.

Support the show

Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here.
After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think!
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Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside.
All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com
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Being the “strict” house isn’t easy — especially when you’re parenting a teenager who has unlimited freedom at their other home.

In this episode, Alicia dives into a real stepmom story from Erica, who’s been a stepmom for 11 years and is now facing the challenges of raising a 13-year-old stepdaughter in two very different households. At Erica’s house, structure, healthy meals, and clear phone boundaries are the norm. At mom’s house, the rules are… basically nonexistent. The result? Erica feels like the bad guy, and the close bond she once had with her stepdaughter seems to be slipping away.

Alicia breaks down why this happens in blended families, why teens push away even when they love you, and most importantly — how to hold onto your values and boundaries without losing the relationship.

You’ll walk away with:

• Validation that you’re not crazy for feeling like the “bad guy” when your house has rules.
• Practical ways to hold firm boundaries without pushing your stepkid further away.
• Strategies to shift from being the “strict” house to the safe house.
• Encouragement that your consistency today builds connection for tomorrow.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re losing your stepchild to the other house because of clashing rules, this episode will remind you: you’re not the villain. You’re the steady anchor they can rely on.

👉 Join the conversation inside The Stepmom Side Community — the place where stepmoms can vent, get support, and find real strategies that work.

👉 Want personalized support? Explore 1:1 coaching at aliciakrasko.com/coaching.

Support the show

Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here.
After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think!
Get all the FREE RESOURCES here.
Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside.
All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com
Get on the list, get behind the scene info on Stepmom life, and tips delivered to your inbox.

In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia Krasko opens up about her why—the real reason she started coaching stepmoms, built The Stepmom Side Community, and launched this very podcast.

She shares her raw, unfiltered story of hitting rock bottom as a stepmom, googling “how to get divorced,” and feeling like an outsider in her own home. Alicia explains the turning point when she admitted she needed help, how outside support transformed her stepmom journey, and why she decided to step into the role of coach.

You’ll hear why The Stepmom Side Community was created as an affordable, supportive space for stepmoms, how imposter syndrome showed up for Alicia as both a stepmom and a community founder, and the moments inside the community that remind her she’s exactly where she’s meant to be.

Alicia also shares the behind-the-scenes story of starting The Stepmom Side Podcast—from her stepson gifting her a microphone to now reaching stepmoms in 96 countries with nearly 50,000 downloads.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re struggling alone on “stepmom island,” this episode will remind you:
👉 You’re not crazy.
👉 You’re not the only one.
👉 And you don’t have to do this role by yourself.

Join The Stepmom Side Community → aliciakrasko.com/community
Learn about coaching → aliciakrasko.com/coaching

Support the show

Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here.
After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think!
Get all the FREE RESOURCES here.
Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside.
All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com
Get on the list, get behind the scene info on Stepmom life, and tips delivered to your inbox.

Do you ever catch yourself spiraling with intrusive thoughts about not being “enough” as a stepmom? Maybe you wonder if you’ll ever feel as important as your partner’s kids’ mom. Or you feel that rush of pressure to have a baby of your own—just so you can finally feel “equal.”

If that’s you, you are not alone.

In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia dives deep into what she calls the messy middle of stepmomming—the stage where you’ve been in the role long enough to know the hard stuff, but you’re still figuring out how to handle the constant tension of:

• Dealing with intrusive thoughts of feeling inferior as a stepmom without biological kids
• The pressure and jealousy around wanting your own kids just to feel equal
• Facing the double standard: what makes you a “great mom” with an ours baby would’ve been called “evil” with your stepkids
• Balancing care and control—wanting to show up for your stepkids but not having the legal authority to make decisions
• Recognizing when it’s time to step back and let the actual parents handle it, even when you see the gaps
• Coping with frustration, resentment, and those “rage-cleaning the bathroom” moments
• Why comparison to the ex or to a “perfect family” is a trap you don’t have to stay stuck in

Alicia shares her own messy middle stories—like jealousy when she didn’t have kids of her own yet, or the time she literally walked four miles at night just to calm down after stepfamily stress. You’ll hear real talk, honest encouragement, and strategies to help you feel less alone and more grounded in your role.

👉 Whether you’re childless, child-free, or balancing stepkids with kids of your own, this episode will remind you: you are not broken—you’re just in the messy middle.

✨ Join the conversation inside The Stepmom Side Community, where you can connect with stepmoms who truly get it.

Support the show

Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here.
After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think!
Get all the FREE RESOURCES here.
Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside.
All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com
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In this candid episode, Alicia gets real about something most stepmoms won’t say out loud: you want to be over your partner’s past… but reminders keep ambushing you—kids’ faces, old photos, in-law stories, even the house you live in. She explains why your brain grabs the past when you don’t feel safe, the hidden cost of re-hashing old wounds, and a step-by-step plan to stop using history as ammunition so you can build the future you actually want.

Who this is for:
Stepmoms who feel caught between “I’m fine” and “I’m about to bring up 2014 again.” If you’ve ever tossed a decades-old moment into a current disagreement, this one’s for you.

What you’ll learn:

• Why the past feels so present: Safety responses, stepfamily triggers, and the comparison trap (you’re not “first,” so it feels like you’ll never “come first”).
• The real cost of holding on: Erosion of trust, the resentment loop, and how re-reading old chapters keeps you from writing new ones.
• Six tools to move forward (without pretending it never happened):
  1. Catch the trigger in real time
  2. Separate past from present
  3. Journal it (hello, Ex-Files) instead of dumping it on your partner
  4. Choose your future over your fear (simple visualization prompt)
  5. Forgiveness vs. boundaries (what each one actually does)
  6. Shift the self-talk: from “I’ll never measure up” to “I am the present and the future”

Key takeaways

• When you don’t feel safe, your brain reaches for “proven” past evidence to protect you. That doesn’t mean it serves your relationship now.
• The more you punish your partner for the past, the less space there is to create something new—today.
• You are not in competition with their past. You are their present and future.
• Boundaries protect you; expectations attempt to control them. Keep them separate.
• If the roles were reversed, you wouldn’t want your old chapters thrown at you either.

Related episodes & resources

• Episode 111 – Spiraling: Why It Happens & How to Feel Safe Again → aliciakrasko.com/111
• Episode 110 – The Secret Journal Every Stepmom Should Have (Your “Ex-Files”) → aliciakrasko.com/110

Support the show

Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here.
After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think!
Get all the FREE RESOURCES here.
Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside.
All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com
Get on the list, get behind the scene info on Stepmom life, and tips delivered to your inbox.

Spiraling happens to every stepmom. You’re not broken—you’re human. In this episode, Alicia breaks down why stepmoms spiral, when it usually happens, and the steps you can take to calm your nervous system and find your footing again. If you’ve ever felt like your thoughts are racing, your chest is tight, and everything feels like too much, this episode will help you feel safe and grounded.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why spiraling is normal and not a personal failure
• Common triggers that make stepmoms spiral
• Simple, practical tools to stop a spiral and find safety
• How to shift from survival mode into calm confidence

Whether you’re new to stepmom life or years in, this episode will help you find peace in the middle of the chaos.

Support the show

Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here.
After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think!
Get all the FREE RESOURCES here.
Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside.
All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com
Get on the list, get behind the scene info on Stepmom life, and tips delivered to your inbox.