Upper West Side Parent Schmooze

Join us Thursday October 11th for our first Parent Schmooze of the new school year, at 5:45 at Finger Painted Hands on 126 W 83rd St.

What is a parent schmooze?  It is part support group and part parenting class, in a fun and informal setting.  If you have a topic you would like addressed you can email me or bring it up at the meeting.  Bring questions or stories to share.  Topics can include Getting kids to listen, Separation anxiety, Power struggles, Child development stages, Divorce and Separation, and more.

Don't worry if you don't have a babysitter - onsite childcare is provided.  Refreshments will be served as well.

We ask for a donation to cover childcare, food and space.  Please email me with any questions or to let me know you will be there.

Divorce all over again

Say you get married, you have children, and you get divorced.  Most people are going to be concerned about these children.  Most people understand that it is best for the children to continue to have a strong relationship with both parents.

Now say you get married to someone who already has children, and then get divorced.  What now?  They are not "your" children, so it doesn't much matter, does it?  Or does it?

In many cases, a step-parent becomes a real parent figure, sometimes the only father or mother that the child remembers.

Sometimes the former step-parent feels like a parent, and wishes to continue to see the children, but doesn't feel right continuing contact with the ex - after all it's not as though they had a child together.  Sometimes a new spouse might resent the continued contact with the ex's family.

Sometimes the former step doesn't haven't any interest at all in continuing to see a child who may think of them as a parent.

While we have made great strides as a society in addressing the needs of children whose parents have divorced, step-relationships are - dare I say it? - the forgotten step-children of divorce.