What Not to Say

While you’re super busy simultaneously trying to make the most of your marriage and get the kids to like you, chances are you will put your foot in your mouth more than a few times as a stepparent.

Fortunately, you can benefit from the wisdom of someone who’s walked through the minefield before you, and consider this advice for what not to do as a new stepparent. While it may seem like a good idea to swoop in and start parenting, it’s actually a better idea to lay low for a little while and really observe how your partner and the children interact. This way, you can learn their routines, rather than trying to “fit them in” to yours. And if it feels like they are running all over you, work with your partner to set appropriate boundaries that let you be a parental figure in the household without being seen as an interloper. While you may not feel like one big happy family just yet, you will learn to love one another in time! [CNN]