The Busy Life of Step Parenting

I have been so busy lately and have not been able to blog as much as I would like to.Blogging is very good therapy! Let me update you on things-Hope is going to the prom and we are having so much fun getting ready. We have the dress and shoes. BEAUTIFUL DRESS!!!! Now we are looking for jewelry and have appointment for hair and nails.If any of you know Hope, a few years ago you would have never thought she would even want to wear a dress,much less a prom dress.Photos of dress will be coming soon.She is certainly becoming a beautiful young woman. Hope and I are going to Extrordinary Women Conference in Greenville,SC this coming weekend. We are looking forward to a girls weekend. Driving lessons are continuing,with drivers ed class in April. Time is going so fast -Hope was 12 years old when she came to live with us fulltime and now she is almost 16. In giving you this update, I want to encourage stepmoms that a relationship with your stepchild does take time.I want to share a few tips I have learned along the way that helped me. There are certainly many more,but these helped me.

S-SPEND TIME WITH THEM DOING SOME THINGS THEY ENJOY-
T-TALK WITH THEM ABOUT SCHOOL,CHURCH,FRIENDS,FAMILY
E-EXPLAIN RULES AND EXPECTATIONS TO THEM
P-PATIENT-BE PATIENT WHILE YOU ARE BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR STEPCHILD-THIS CAN TAKE YEARS TO DEVELOP
C-COMFORT THEM WHEN NEEDED
H-HAVE FUN WITH THEM-GO SHOPPING,GO TO MOVIES-DO WHAT THEY ENJOY WHEN TIME ALLOWS
I-INVOLVE THEM IN THINGS THAT WILL HELP THEM TO GROW AND MATURE-GOOD CHURCH YOUTH GROUP IS GREAT
L-LISTEN TO THEM AND SHOW THEM LOVE
D-DISCIPLINE THEM AS NEEDED

Please be encouraged along the way in your step parent journey.I hope that your relationships will develop and grow with your stepchild.Years down the road , I hope we can both look back and remember all the many ups and yes sometimes difficult times that helped get us to where we are today.CONTINUING THE JOURNEY!!