The Stepmom Diaries | Blended Family & Stepmom Support Podcast

Stepfamily Solutions
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  • Parenting
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The Stepmom Diaries is a podcast for stepmoms navigating blended family life, marriage stress, coparenting conflict, emotional burnout, and the realities nobody talks about. Hosted by Cameron Normand of Stepfamily Solutions, this podcast keeps it honest with relatable conversations about stepmom life, relationships, identity, resentment, boundaries, and building healthier blended families. As a second wife and stepmom to four kids, Cameron combines real-life experience with practical support to help stepmoms feel less alone, less overwhelmed, and more confident in their role.

  1. 5d ago ·  Bonus

    BONUS REWIND: Is Your Therapist Making Your Stepfamily Problems Worse? (Ep. 135)

    BONUS REWIND: Is Your Therapist Making Your Stepfamily Problems Worse? (Ep. 135) What if the advice you're getting in therapy is actually making your stepfamily problems worse? You've tried therapy. You've followed the advice. You've been told to be more patient, create more family togetherness, or take a bigger role in disciplining your stepchildren. And somehow, things have gotten even harder. But what if the problem isn't you? What if your therapist is working from the wrong family map? In this special Bonus Rewind of The Stepmom Diaries, Cameron revisits one of the most important conversations for stepmoms who have tried everything and still feel stuck. The reality is that stepfamilies operate differently from first families, yet many therapists receive little formal training in stepfamily dynamics. Even well-meaning professionals can unintentionally offer advice that creates more frustration than progress. Cameron breaks down what the research actually tells us about stepfamily development, why traditional therapy approaches sometimes miss the mark, and how to recognize whether your therapist truly understands blended families. In this episode, you'll learn: Why traditional family therapy advice can make stepfamily challenges worse How stepfamily relationships develop differently from first-family relationships Four questions to ask a therapist about their stepfamily training and approach What a healthy, realistic stepparent and stepchild relationship can look like This isn't about criticizing therapy or telling you to leave a therapist you trust. It's about making sure your family gets support that actually fits. Because sometimes you're not doing anything wrong. You've just been handed the wrong map. Originally released August 6, 2026, as Episode 135 of The Stepmom Diaries. Sponsored by Cozy Earth: Upgrade your bedtime with Cozy Earth's temperature-regulating bamboo sheets and pajamas, and use code STEPMOMDIARIES at CozyEarth.com for up to 20% off. Resources Mentioned Learn more about Patricia Papernow and her clinical work on stepfamily development Explore research by Todd Jensen on stepfamilies and the gap between research and professional practice  Look for Patricia Papernow's clinical book on working with stepfamilies

  2. 6d ago

    You're Allowed to Need a Break From Your Stepkids | Alyssa Kirk

    Ever feel relieved when your stepkids go back to their other home, then immediately feel guilty about it? You're not alone. And it doesn't make you a bad stepmom. In this episode of The Stepmom Diaries, Cameron Normand talks with Alyssa Kirk, founder of Stepmom Social Club, about stepmom guilt, impossible expectations, high-conflict co-parenting, and why taking care of yourself isn't selfish. From the pressure to treat your stepkids like your own to the judgment that follows when you do, Alyssa and Cameron get honest about the realities of blended family life. In this episode, we talk about: • Why it is okay to need a break when your stepkids leave. • The double standards and unsolicited advice that can fuel stepmom guilt. • Grounding yourself before reacting to high-conflict co-parenting situations. • Why connecting with other stepmoms can make the role less lonely. They also talk about the evil stepmother stereotype, dealing with online criticism, and finding friends who understand the realities of your family. You don't have to love every minute of stepmom life to care deeply about your family.   Resources Shared in This Episode: Find Alyssa: Stepmom Social Club on Instagram and Patreon. Want to find your people? Join us inside Stepfamily Circle, the supportive community for stepmoms navigating blended family life: https://stepfamilycircle.com/   Love The Stepmom Diaries? Please consider rating and reviewing The Stepmom Diaries on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps the show grow and reach more blended families who need honest conversations like this one.

  3. Oct 22

    Why You Don't Have to Love Being a Stepmom All the Time

    "I don't like being a stepmom today." Have you ever thought that and immediately felt guilty about it? Maybe you're dreading another custody weekend, feeling resentful about everything you're expected to do, or just wishing you could take a little break from stepmom life. I've been there. And here's something I want you to hear: You can love your stepfamily without loving every minute of being a stepmom. In this episode, we're talking about those complicated feelings so many stepmoms experience but are afraid to admit out loud. More importantly, we're looking at what those feelings might actually be trying to tell you. In this episode, you'll learn: Why feeling frustrated or resentful doesn't make you a bad stepmom How stepmom guilt can make an already difficult situation feel even worse Three questions to help you understand what's really behind your resentment Why changing your boundaries and responsibilities may be more helpful than changing your attitude You don't have to love being a stepmom every minute to be a loving stepmom. Resources Mentioned: Episode 125: A deeper look at what's actually within your control as a stepmom Looking for a community of women who really get what it's like to be a stepmom? Come join us inside the Stepfamily Circle: https://stepfamilycircle.com/ If this episode made you feel a little less alone, share it with another stepmom who might need to hear it. Love The Stepmom Diaries? Please consider rating and reviewing The Stepmom Diaries on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps the show grow and reach more blended families who need honest conversations like this one.

  4. Oct 15

    The Grief of Wanting a Child of Your Own: Infertility as a Stepmom | Jen Powell

    Can you love your stepkids and still grieve the child you may never have? It's one of those complicated feelings that can be incredibly hard to admit, even to yourself. Infertility as a stepmom brings a unique kind of grief. You're already part of a family, helping raise children, and watching your partner experience parenthood while wondering if you'll ever have a child of your own. And the guilt, resentment, and heartbreak that can come with those feelings? They're not always easy to talk about. In this episode, Cameron sits down with Jen Powell, founder of The Sober Stepmom, a coach who supports childless stepmothers navigating identity, belonging, grief, and the emotional complexities of stepfamily life. Together, they open up about their personal experiences with IVF, including Cameron's five unsuccessful rounds of treatment and Jen's heartbreaking decision to cancel an embryo transfer. But this conversation goes beyond infertility. They explore what happens when the family you're already part of makes it harder to pursue the family you imagined, and why those feelings can bring an entirely different layer of guilt and grief. In this episode, you'll learn: Why infertility as a stepmom can feel especially isolating when you're already helping raise someone else's children. The complicated emotions childless stepmoms often struggle to admit, including guilt, resentment, and grief. What led Jen to cancel her embryo transfer and why that decision was both heartbreaking and necessary. Why putting yourself first during infertility doesn't make you a bad stepmom, even when other people don't understand your decisions. Loving your stepfamily and grieving the child you hoped to have can both be true, and you deserve the space to feel both. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Connect with Jen Powell, founder of The Sober Stepmom: Instagram: @the_sober_stepmom Facebook: The Sober Stepmom Grab our FREE "10 Essential Scripts for Stepmoms": https://stepfamilycertification.com/stepmom-scripts Love The Stepmom Diaries? Please consider rating and reviewing The Stepmom Diaries on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps the show grow and reach more blended families who need honest conversations like this one.

  5. Oct 8

    When Should a Stepmom Discipline Her Stepkids? | April Eldemire, LMFT

    Should a stepmom discipline stepkids? It's one of those questions that sounds simple until you're the one living it. A lot of stepmoms come in wanting to help, be supportive, and feel like a real part of the family. But when you're expected to parent without the same history, authority, or connection, things can go sideways fast. In this episode, Cameron sits down with April Eldemire, LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist, couples therapist, blended family expert, and former stepmom with more than 13 years of experience working with couples. Together, they dig into the big question: Should a stepmom discipline her stepkids, and if so, when? April breaks down what stepmoms often take on too soon, what the biological parent should be handling instead, and why trying to "parent like a mom" before the relationship is there can backfire. They also get into the bigger issue underneath all of this: What is actually your job as a stepmom? Because the answer may look very different than you think, and it may even look different with each stepchild. In this episode, you'll learn: When should a stepmom discipline stepkids Why connection before correction matters so much when building trust with your stepkids. How unclear roles can leave stepmoms feeling like the bad guy, and what the biological parent can do to better support their partner. april-cameron The simple 15-minute weekly trick that can completely change how you and your partner handle stepfamily stress, parenting, and decisions.   If you have ever wondered whether you are too involved, not involved enough, or taking on responsibilities that should belong to your partner, this conversation will help you think differently about your role. Being a good stepmom does not mean doing all the parenting. Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do for your relationship with your stepkids, your partner, and yourself is to get very clear about what is actually yours to carry.   Resources Mentioned in This Episode Connect with April Eldemire, LMFT: Website: Couples-thrive.com Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and TikTok: @couplesthrive Grab our FREE "10 Essential Scripts for Stepmoms": https://stepfamilycertification.com/stepmom-scripts April's Blended Family Quick Win Toolkit gives couples practical tools to reduce "my kid/your kid" conflict and start parenting more like a team in just 7 days.   Love The Stepmom Diaries? Please consider rating and reviewing The Stepmom Diaries on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps the show grow and reach more blended families who need honest conversations like this one.

  6. Oct 1

    What Actually Makes a Blended Family Work? What the Research Says

    What if some of the things you've been told a blended family should look like are actually making things harder? This episode is a special one pulled straight from our recent Stepmom Summit, where I sat down with three of the leading researchers in the stepfamily field to talk about how to make a blended family work based on what the research actually says, not what Instagram, your neighbor, or the Brady Bunch would have you believe. Dr. Brad van Eeden-Moorefield is a professor of family science and human development at Montclair State University whose research looks at how stigma, culture, policy, and the expectations placed on families affect real stepfamily relationships. Dr. Bailey M. Oliver-Blackburn is an associate professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock who studies stepfamily communication, conflict transformation, and family resilience, including what happens when children move between homes with very different rules, beliefs, and values. Dr. Todd Jensen is a professor at UNC Chapel Hill and director of the Thriving Through Family Transitions Research Lab. Much of his work focuses on what helps kids thrive in stepfamilies and how strong relationships between stepparents and stepchildren actually develop. And between the three of them, there is a LOT of research to unpack. In This Episode, We Talk About: Why there is no single right way to be a stepparent and what actually matters more for building a strong relationship with your stepkids What research says helps kids thrive in blended families, including warmth, timing, connection, choice, and learning to "read the room" How to navigate very different rules, routines, beliefs, and values between two households without making your stepchild feel stuck in the middle Why stepfamilies are not broken versions of first families and what decades of research tell us about creating relationships that work for your family If you've ever wondered whether you're doing this whole blended family thing wrong, this conversation may completely change the way you look at your family. There isn't one perfect formula. There are many paths to strong relationships, and the research is finally catching up to what stepfamilies have needed to hear for a long time. Want More From the 2026 Stepmom Summit? Get access to all of this year's Stepmom Summit recordings for just $97 and catch the sessions you missed or rewatch your favorites before the offer ends October 4th, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET: https://thestepmomsummit.com/rs-upgrade-purchase Resources From This Episode Dr. Brad van Eeden-Moorefield: https://inside.montclair.edu/directory/brad-van-eeden-moorefield  Dr. Bailey M. Oliver-Blackburn: https://baileyoliverblackburn.com/  Dr. Todd Jensen: https://www.instagram.com/drtoddjensen/    Love The Stepmom Diaries? Please consider rating and reviewing The Stepmom Diaries on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps the show grow and reach more blended families who need honest conversations like this one.

  7. Sep 24

    When Your Ex Won't Stop Creating Chaos: High Conflict Co-Parenting | Livi North

    High-conflict co-parenting has a way of making it feel like someone who doesn't even live in your house somehow has way too much control over what happens inside it. The texts, the emails, the constant curveballs, the tension with your partner... it can start to feel like your entire relationship is being shaped around someone else's chaos. In this episode, I'm talking with Livi North, founder of U****k Your Co-Parenting, where she helps parents and stepparents navigate high-conflict co-parenting, parallel parenting, and difficult exes without letting the chaos take over their lives. In This Episode, You'll Learn: How to tell the difference between normal post-divorce conflict and a truly high conflict dynamic Why strong boundaries matter more than trying to change a high conflict ex How getting angry for your partner can accidentally create even more stress Why parallel parenting, intentional couple time, and limits around venting can help keep the conflict from consuming your relationship Because the truth is, you may never be able to control what a high-conflict ex does. But you can decide how much space their behavior gets to take up in your home, your relationship, and your life. Resources Mentioned: → Connect with Livi North: Visit unfuckyourcoparenting.com for resources and coaching, including a $189 one-hour intro call; follow @unfuckyourcoparenting on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook; and listen to the U****k Your Coparenting podcast. → Upgrade your bedtime with Cozy Earth's temperature-regulating bamboo sheets and pajamas, and use code STEPMOMDIARIES at CozyEarth.com for up to 20% off. → U****k Your Co-Parenting: The Coaching Couch Podcast (Available wherever you listen to podcasts) → Connect with Livi on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook: search the handle @UnfuckYourCoparenting → Free High Conflict Ex Guide: Get our FREE 10 Quick Tips To Dealing With Your Spouse's Ex, and stop letting your partner's high-conflict ex take over your life at stepfamilycircle.com/high-conflict-ex-tips. Love The Stepmom Diaries? Please consider rating and reviewing The Stepmom Diaries on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps the show grow and reach more blended families who need honest conversations like this one.

  8. Sep 17

    5 Tips for New Stepmoms I Wish I Knew From Day One

    Have you ever felt like the harder you try to be a good stepmom, the worse things seem to get? That was me in my first few years of stepfamily life. I tried to make the kids like me, stepped into authority too quickly, rearranged my entire life around our parenting schedule, and kept wondering why I still felt like I was failing. What I eventually learned is that I wasn't dealing with a lack of effort. I was trying to navigate a stepfamily using a first-family blueprint. Once I started digging into published stepfamily research and the academic work around stepfamily dynamics, so much of what I had been experiencing finally made sense. Those lessons, combined with my own lived experience, ultimately became part of the foundation for the Stepfamily Coach Academy. In Today's Episode, We're Talking About: •  Why trying too hard to make your stepkids like you can actually work against connection •  Why building a relationship needs to come before stepping into authority •  How treating your stepfamily like a first family can leave you feeling like you're constantly failing •  Why keeping your own life, understanding your role, and learning the actual research on stepfamilies can change everything If you're a newer stepmom looking for tips for new stepmoms, I hope this episode gives you something I desperately needed back then: proof that there really is a roadmap for this. Resources Mentioned: The 2026 Stepmom Summit: Out Loud → https://thestepmomsummit.com/ We're LIVE September 14th-18th, 2026 with more than 30 experts talking about the parts of stepfamily life we need to start saying Out Loud!  Stepfamily Coach Academy → https://stepfamilycertification.com/    Want to understand stepfamily dynamics on a much deeper level or use what you've lived through to help other families? The Stepfamily Coach Academy brings together published research, the academic study of stepfamilies, practical frameworks, and lived experience to train the next generation of stepfamily coaches. If this episode made you think of another stepmom who is trying way too hard and wondering why it still isn't working, send it to her. And if you haven't already, subscribe and leave a review so more stepmoms can find the support they've been looking for. Love The Stepmom Diaries? Please consider rating and reviewing The Stepmom Diaries on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps the show grow and reach more blended families who need honest conversations like this one.

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The Stepmom Diaries is a podcast for stepmoms navigating blended family life, marriage stress, coparenting conflict, emotional burnout, and the realities nobody talks about. Hosted by Cameron Normand of Stepfamily Solutions, this podcast keeps it honest with relatable conversations about stepmom life, relationships, identity, resentment, boundaries, and building healthier blended families. As a second wife and stepmom to four kids, Cameron combines real-life experience with practical support to help stepmoms feel less alone, less overwhelmed, and more confident in their role.

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