The Evil Stepmother Speaks: Are We Really Sharing Our Stepchildren?

Are Stepmothers and Mothers Sharing Their Stepchildren?

Ever since the last economic downturn, people have become entrepreneurial about how they live and work.  The biggest change has been the new Sharing Economy.  The sharing economy is one where we share each other’s resources with each other either freely or cheaply.  As a matter of fact, I am a member of a barter group.  This group allows many of us to barter our products and services with one another.  We pay a % fee to the barter group and we collect barter dollars in our accounts that we can spend when needed.  It is really fun.  I eat at barter restaurants and just had our windows cleaned by a ‘barter’ window cleaner.  In many ways, doing business this way allows us to establish new relationships because we are a part of a group.

This Sharing Economy has spread to many other facets of our life.  Have you couch surfed?  Couch surfing is when you can stay at someone’s home for free anywhere around the world.  Check out CouchSurfing.org.  Try logging onto AirBnB. On this site, individuals can rent out anything from their homes to their cars to their pets.  You can share your skills, your couch, your parking spot or your necktie.  The sharing economy makes people feel good and it makes efficient usage of unused resources.  Experts say that sharing creates better relationships between people.

It made me think about our roles as a stepparent.  Aren’t we really sharing other people’s children? Our stepchildren?  It is an odd thought and may sound rather cold, but the concept is there.  Yet, when you think about it, our type of sharing is usually not met with the positive thrill that finding a charming place to stay in Paris may hold.  In fact, our participation within the new family is usually spurned.  I think the heart of the dismay over our existence lays within the lack of choice.  Bio moms and dads get no say in the stepparent selection process.

Maybe, there should be a website where the bio parents can pick the appropriate stepparent for their children.  They would feel better about us, if they just had some say in the matter.  So, here’s a thought.  When any bio parent is considering remarriage, why not introduce the prospect to their ex and ask for some feedback?  Oh!  I can hear the screams of horror!  Seriously, why not?  Wouldn’t you want some feedback into the selection of a person that was going to live with your children?

Similar to the Sharing Economy, stepparents provide an efficient use of resources.  We are extra hands.  We are known for picking stepchildren up from their activities.  We are very good at making dinner one or more nights a week, while giving the bio parent a break.  We are also very good at loving our stepchildren.  Can you have too many people who love you?

Think of the stepfamily as part of our new Sharing Economy.  When you hear about someone traveling to an exotic country and couch surfing, tell them that we also couch surf.  We family surf.  We share our love and resources with each other freely in the ultimate sharing economy.

Here are some other sites that you may find interesting:

AirBnB:  A place where folks share everything from their homes to their cars to anything

LendingClub:  A place where people lend money to others and a place where you can invest your dollars as well.  You make a lot more than the current 1% return.

Shareable:  A free site that discusses all aspects about sharing