Help ... I'm a Stepmother

How to care for the children of the person you love

Sonja Ridden

Anyone who is already a stepparent - or thinking of becoming one - will be helped by reading this book. The author knows what she is talking about because when she said ‘I do’ she not only acquired a husband but also two little boys, a cat and a goldfish!

Woven through the text of this book are Ridden’s own experiences which include many moments of despair. The outcome is a very useful guide to stepparenting and merging a blended family.

Ridden makes it clear that marrying a partner who already has a child involves taking on a family with a history, often burdened with much grief at the loss of a former parent or partner either from death or divorce.

Whether you are a full-time stepparent or a weekend one you will almost certainly be in for a number of shocks. To start with, it can be hard for a new bride or groom to have to share everything from day one. And Ridden explores the areas which all families must manage, such as money, differences in parenting ideas, and the arrival of a new baby. In addition, she explores the innumerable tricky situations which develop such as access visits and coping with the other biological parent.

The reader is urged to seek professional help if it all seems too much. As well as all the useful tips and hints in this book, you can learn more by visiting Sonja Ridden’s own website at www.thestepstop.com.

published by Metro

  £6.99       ISBN: 1843580551

available from   

Review published 18 February 2003 © Jill Curtis 2003