• Introducing, the Book! The Evil Stepmother Speaks A Guide for Stepfamilies Who Want to Love and Laugh I Cried and Laugh When I Wrote It. Finally, the classic fairy tale is retold from the stepmother perspective. You will laugh and cry as the "Evil" stepmother travels on her journey to find the magic potion that will blend her family. Here is the book that tells the stepmother specific

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    Many of you have asked about how the Couples Retreat went.  As you may be aware, Jenna Korf and I held our first Couples Retreat last weekend (June, 2017).  It was an ultimate dream for us.  After all, what would be better than to have a chance to coach both Dad and Stepmom together?  Nothing is better than that! Let me share the gist of the weekend. We taught partnership.  When you truly

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    My Stepmother Wall has a long couch. I'm setting boundaries. If you have ever been told that you do too much for others, this blog is for you.  Do you feel that you can’t say ‘no’ to people?  Are you sorry you said ‘yes’ and then resent it later?  Welcome to the club of people that know what it feels like to be used.  The motto of the club is that being ‘liked’ takes

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    Would You Compete at The Olympics if You Never Trained? Would you enter an Olympic event without training?  Envision yourself diving into the pool next to Michael Phelps.  Stand next to Simone Biles and, together, perform a floor exercise.  Meet Katie Ledecky at the pool and race her in the 400 metre free style.  Close your eyes and see yourself in any of these scenarios.  Did you win? 

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    Stepmothers: Do You See Through a Positive or Negative Space? Do you recognize yourself? When was the last time you pointed out a negative characteristic of your partner?  Their ex wife?  Their children?  If you do not have to think very hard, this blog may be for you. Nagging.  By definition, nagging is the pointing out of negative qualities to someone.  It is the ultimate downer. 

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    Stepmother Lament: Why Am I Always the Outsider Looking In? “This family makes me feel like an outsider. I do all this work and I am still an outsider. When will I ever feel like I belong?” It’s a common stepmother lament. We cook, clean, run errands, pick up kids, buy them clothes and, yet, we feel like a third wheel. It is just this feeling that we are outside of the core family.

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    Are You a Stepmother Who Blames Everyone Else? Do you find yourself blaming others for your life situation? See if any of these 'stepmother' statements strike a chord with you: “These kids are a nightmare because their mother and father don’t discipline them. It is their fault. Our marriage is a nightmare because the ex tortures us. It is her fault. I cook, clean, transport and pay the

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    Has the Divorce caused a Raw, Exposed Nerve?All Will Heal Did you ever wonder why the ex-wife just can't get over it?  Maybe, you are a stepmother who has been a part of the family for years, yet you still feel as though the ex-wife hates you.  You just don't understand it.  As you know, we study the art and science of stepfamily management here at The Evil Stepmother Speaks.   This blog

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    Anne Taintor's Images Encapsulate the Ultimate Passive Aggressive Behavior. Big Smiles. Their Thoughts are In the Words. We love Anne Taintor! Passive aggressiveness runs rampant in our stepfamilies.  I hypothesize that there is a minimum of one family member who exhibits these behaviors.  Are you one of the passive aggressive family members?  Or, are you living with passive aggressive

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    Starbucks is More Than a Cup of Coffee.What Do You Stand For? Have you ever thought about what is truly galvanizing you towards your life's legacy?  I was moved to think about this question as I watched Oprah interview Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks.  Starbucks provides an aggressive benefits package for its employees that work 20 hours or more per week.  How great is that?  (As a side

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