😬 What if your stepkid hates you?

Some common reasons why stepkids reject stepparents.

I looked for the answer to this question for years, convinced I was the only stepparent in the world whose stepkid wanted nothing to do with them.

Other stepmoms don't have this problem, I'd lecture myself, drowning in guilt. I didn't know what I was doing wrong, but I was sure I could do better. I just needed to try harder to find the magic formula that would win my stepdaughter over… and then we could finally, finally feel like a real family.

Turns out — not so much.

So here’s yet another thing I wish I would've known years ago: if your stepkid hates you, please don't blame yourself. Their feelings toward you have way more to do with them and their own shit than with you.

I do have an entire blog post on why stepkids reject their stepparents over on our site, but here’s the quickie version:

1. Your stepkids don’t like you because they’re worried you’re stealing their parent from them. You’re seen as competition for your partner’s love and attention.

2. Your stepkid doesn’t hate you exactly — it’s just all your STUPID DUMB RULES, ugh. Why are you so meeeannnnnn?!