Ed Speak

It's been a while since I've written this segment and a lot has happened since you last heard from me.  I took some time off to study, moved to a new town and basically re-started my life.  I guess the most noteworthy event, is that I got married.... again.

I found a nice, 'normal' male, who can put up with my insanity and frequent break downs and hysteria and I decided to dive in.  My darling husband was a solo father of three, so now I have substantially added to my family.  Yes, I am a step mother.  Hopefully not seen as the wicked kind, but a nice step mother, who gives snuggly cuddles and smells like cookies.  Okay, I do hug a lot (I'm a hugger), but if I smell like cookies, it's generally because I have just scoffed down a packet of them.  Merging my family with another isn't the easiest thing I've ever done and not at all like the Brady Bunch portrays.  It's lots of tears, tantrums and slamming of doors and that's just me.  Bring the kids into the mix and you're on a whole other plane of difficult.  It's certainly a learning curve.  Raising someone else's children, is hard and it's heart breaking and it's scary, but it can also be wondrous and delightful and lovely. 

I'm learning things about myself that I never new existed.  Firstly, I am all kinds of strong, because to do what I do on a daily basis has toughened me up and given me nerves of steel.  Secondly, my heart is living outside my body now (x four), because no-matter what anyone says, my three step children are mine and I love them.  Thirdly, I am ridiculously proud of my son Z, because he is a little trouper and has taken our mountainous changes in his stride and still lights up my day every morning with his huge smile.  And... fourthly, I must love my husband a crazy amount to have even attempted this new lifestyle.  He must love me too.

So this issue, I wanted to talk a little about all kinds of familes.  Step families, Single Parent Families, Grandparents as Parents, and many others.  I've had eight years as a single mother of one and now I'm forging a new life as a wife, mum and step mum.  I will always have the best interests of single parents at heart and will continue to empathise and champion all solo parent causes.  You will find though that there will be some inclusions in The Single Parent Bible, notably information about paying Child Support, dealing with unreasonable Exes and how to survive in all different types of family units. 

Thank you for your continued support.  Welcome to the new era of parenting and blended and solo families.