Search Results for: blended families

This Is What I Learned About People Who Ghost You

Remember in high school when your life revolved around your friends? Oh, the drama! Who was talking to whom, who was crushing on which guy, who was talking behind someone else’s back? After all, we had nothing else to keep us occupied; no jobs, no kids, no husbands. In a lot of ways, it was a relief when we moved past that part of our life. When you become an adult, your relationships change. They become deeper, richer, and often more authentic. As adults, we can support each other through the dark valleys of life and celebrate the times we are at the top of the mountain. Over the years and throughout the stages of a woman’s life, friendships bring an intense […]

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Ask Dr. Zoe – Struggling Stepmom: What Helps My Relationship with His Ex?

‘Confused Fiance’ Asked: How do I go about repairing the relationship with the mother of my fiance’s children? I don’t like her, I think she is a very childish and spiteful person, but there should be some sort of casual friendship between us, for the sake of the children. She doesn’t seem to care and throws the fact that she’s their mother in my face. I’ve explained to her on several accounts that I’m not trying to and could never replace her, but that she should be appreciative that I treat them as my own when I have them with me. My fiance and I are getting married this summer and all of this drama she’s causing has me worried about how

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This Is What Running in My 40s Has Taught Me

This Is What Running in My 40s Has Taught Me

Once upon a time I was a fast runner (think, like, 25 years ago when I was 18 and solid muscle). My personal best for a 5k was a little under 19 minutes! I could leg-press as much as half the guys in my class and didn’t back down from a race or competition. I was tough, strong, and extremely competitive. Fast forward almost 20 years, add a career-ending injury to my ankle, three babies, a husband, and a life of contentment, and I was bored. I hadn’t really exercised in two decades, unless you count a brief stint chasing my middle child who was an escape artist as a toddler. I Made a Goal Despite the Challenges Before I turned 40,

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10 Truths I Found to Lose 75 Pounds

10 Truths I Found to Lose 75 Pounds

I’ve discovered a pandemic phenomenon: The Covid-19 10 is a 10-pound weight gain that creeps on in quarantine. In my defense, let me say that the fear of not being able to get my beloved treats at some point during quarantine had me pack-ratting Dove Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Promises and Moose Munch as if they might become as scarce as toilet paper. The question then became, what do I do with the stockpile? Just eat it? These extra pounds prompted me to consider how I lost 75 pounds 20 years ago without dieting and kept them off since then. I want to remember the steps. It’s what we do when we try to lose weight. On paper, it makes sense. Eating

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14 Things When Buying a Home

14 Things Every Woman Needs to Know Before Buying a House

Don’t we all love the idea of owning our own homes and drooling about the outlandish decor ideas we are going to execute? However, in order to make the right decisions, we need to have the right information – or at least know where to find the right information. So, the following tips have been put together to set you off on the right footing. Here are some things every woman needs to do before buying a house. 1. Know your credit score It’s one of the biggest factors that will determine what the terms of your loan will look like. So, be sure you know your credit score even before deciding to pursue any kind of housing loan. If your credit

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Feeling Anxiety How to Snap Out of It and Live in the Moment

Feeling Anxious? How to Snap Out of It and Live in the Moment

I recently read a great article about how anxiety can negatively affect our health, stress our immune systems, and actually cause us to become more susceptible to illness. While this is good information, it can also cause those who are anxious to feel even more anxious about their anxiety. Welcome to the mysterious world of living inside your head. Here’s the thing: cutting through the static of anxiety is not as simple as turning the station or flipping it off altogether. Trust me, if it were, I’m fairly certain the issue would no longer exist. Instead, anxiety disorders are affecting 40 million adults in the U.S.1 So, if you’re struggling in this crazy COVID season, here are 10 things that might help

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Ask Dr. Zoe – My Teen Stepdaughter Doesn’t Respect Me

‘Pawan’ Asked: Hi Dr. Zoe I am having trouble with connecting with my 12yr old step daughter. I have 3 step kids. I don’t have any kids of my own. Me and my husband are full time custodians and they see their mom every other weekend. I don’t see we her respecting me. I feel like she hates me and only like to respect me when her dad says her to do so. My husband is a very wise parent. I am lucky that I have him in this situation. He talks to the kids about problem and set expectations as well as talking to them thru the problems. Please suggest me what and how to do my role. My ego gets

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Ask Dr. Zoe – Stuck in a Love Triangle: My Man, His Ex and His Child

‘Toxic Triangle’ Asked: I often feel like my partner is not giving me my place in this toxic triangle of a relationship. I love him very much. I feel like he’s put up with his ex (mother of his children) for so long that he’s become accustomed to her BS and in return, I feel I don’t get the respect I need and the boundaries I set keep getting crossed. She is constantly dangling his daughter in from of him like a piece of meat to get her way all the time because she knows he will always take the bait. It’s frustrating for me to see this happening and when she disrespects me I don’t feel he backs me up. What

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Ask Dr. Zoe – Dating With Daddy Issues, What Are the Pitfalls?

‘NotDaddysGirl’ Asked: I grew up never knowing my biological dad and over the last few years, I’ve started to let myself feel the hurt and sadness that it caused me. I am now a single mom dating again and I want to be aware of the pitfalls that this absence might cause to make sure I make a healthy choice in a future partner/father for my child. Dr. Zoe Answered: The best gift we can give ourselves is to know our deficits well. The fact that you are aware of the effect that your absent father can have on your parenting puts you a step ahead. Women who have grown up with absent fathers often make the mistake of being impressed by

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Ask Dr. Zoe – Handling a Step Child’s Jealousy

‘Stepmom Wanting to Do the Best for Her Crew’ Asked: I find, like most siblings, that in a family that has children from two households, there is a love-hate between them. However, I have noticed jealousy in the child that is not with us full time. I am sympathetic to the situation and love him but do not want to accept bad behavior just because the circumstance is challenging. Nor do I want that behavior to impact my biological child. Do you have any thoughts or ideas to approach these conversations or actions I can take to curb bad behavior while offering understanding? I want to act before it becomes a more significant issue. Stepmom Wanting to Do the Best for Her

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