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Stepfamily Searches
for Missing Ten-Year-Old Boy
October 15 - In New Hampsire, police are searching for Patric
McCarthy, of Bourne, Massachusetts. While on vacation Monday, the
ten-year-old left his brothers playing and headed back to the
condominium where they were staying – but he never arrived. The search
for him has been hampered by severe weather in the mountainous region.
Stepmom Margaret McCarthy thanked volunteers and said that she
believes the boy will be found. Coverage is online at:
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/2555021/detail.html
http://www.thewmurchannel.com/news/2555601/detail.html
Good Morning America
Profiles Stepmom and Ex-Wife Making Peace
Good Morning America
profiled ex-wife Debi Levenson and her struggle to get along with “the
other woman,” Monika Levenson, who is married to her ex-husband and
stepmom to her two daughters. After years of animosity, the two have
agreed to some ground rules: put the kids first, no bad-mouthing,
respect rules and routines and empathize, don’t judge. Even so, there
are still points of conflict – like Mother’s Day. The Levensons credit
the book Stepwives for their success – the book encourages
stepmoms and ex-wives to stop fighting and build positive
relationships.
You can buy Stepwives and check out other books for stepmoms here.
Stepwives Speak
Candidly About Co-Parenting
In this insightful
essay in the Exeter News-Leader, step-wives Ronda Underriner and
Rachel Forrest describe in a dialogue format what it takes to get
stepmoms (Ronda) and ex-wives (Rachel) to work together. Ronda is
married to Kevin Underriner, who had a daughter with Forrest. The two
share joint custody, and the addition of Ronda to the mix brought
changes. Initially Ronda’s husband served as a mediator between the
two women, but as Ronda and Rachel developed a more solid
relationship, they have been able to work out problems on their own.
They emphasize that they are “not lucky” and that lots of hard work
goes into building a co-parenting arrangement that works.
Portland Tribune Article Highlights Stepfamily Struggles
Oregon - Writer and stepmom Lisa Cohn relates the problems faced by
stepfamilies in dealing with ex-spouses who allow anger and resentment
to poison their child’s health and well-being. We all know the stories
– ex-spouses who refuse to share report cards, recital schedules and
act rudely on the phone to well-meaning stepparents and their spouses.
Cohn highlights families from her support group who have found a way
out of the anger cycle and forged new relationships that benefit the
children caught in the middle. She has a new book “One Family, Two
Family, New Family: Stories and Advice for Stepfamilies” coming out at
the end of the month.
The Stepfamily Life Columns Go Online Weekly
Columns began posting online weekly in mid-October. Current columns
online include:
Stepmom Vs. The Ex: Declare a Ceasefire
School Doesn’t Have to Spell Stress for Stepfamilies
U.S. Census Misses Stepfamilies By a Longshot
Celebrate the Journey: National Stepfamily Day
Upcoming column
topics: surviving the holidays, helping kids feel normal, and the
strengths of effective stepfamilies. If you’d like to suggest a column
topic, send an email to
dmiller@thestepfamilylife.com
Famous Stepmoms:
Teresa Earnhardt
Widow of famed race car driver Dale Earnhardt, Teresa Earnhardt is
stepmom to Dale Earnhardt, Jr. She also heads up Deal Earnhardt Inc.
and the Dale Earnhardt Foundation. She
recently signed a deal with her stepson which will have him
driving for the next five years on the team founded by his late
father. Speculation has swirled in the racing community for months
around contract negotiations between the two (Teresa heads up the
racing empire founded by Dale Jr.’s late father). Teresa has fought a
public battle to prevent her husband’s autopsy photos from being
released to the press.
Stepmom Talks About Loss of Her Son in Iraq
Texas - The Long-View News Journal and the Associated Press reported
the death of U.S. Army Pfc. Stephen Eugene Wyatt, 19, in Balad, Iraq
while traveling in a three-car convoy that fell under attack. Stepmom
Lilmah Wyatt told reporters that her stepson was a “hero.” She said
that his young wife Kelly, who is also in the military, is flying from
her posting in Hawaii to join the family for the funeral in Texas. She
told reporters that she wanted people to know that Wyatt was a
“down-home kid” who enjoyed spending his free time hunting and
fishing.
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