At first, I didn’t love my stepkids and they didn’t love me. We hardly knew each other, so how could we move each other? In time, I grew to love them because they are my husband’s children. But when I realized I loved them for them, not just because they were related to their dad, well, that was a powerful feeling.
My favorite chapter in my step mom book, Stepping into A New Role, Stories from Stepmoms, is called “Falling in Love.” These stories are not about falling in love with your partner or spouse. They are about falling in love with your stepchildren. Not every stepmom does, and that’s okay. But when that powerful love hits you, it’s an incredibly special feeling.