“She really wanted to be a good friend, and I didn’t see a place for that. Because I’m more of a private person and tend to have very close, intimate friendships, it was very difficult for me to be pursued by her. I had to tell her that just wasn’t going to work for me.” There are many ways to handle your relationship with the ex. read more »

Dannette reports that the ex’s behavior changed when they redecorated the house. “We redid every room so it was our home. It sent a signal to her. I remember we were redoing the kitchen. It had been dark, and we repainted it white.

When she came into the house, she didn’t just run up the stairs and grab something out of the fridge.” Stacy set boundaries with her husband’s help. read more »

The only people in your marriage are you and your husband. The children and their mother certainly affect your marriage, but at the end of the day, the relationship you have with your husband is the marriage. read more »

I know I sound pretty tough on stepmoms in this chapter, and I mean to be. It takes a lot of maturity to be a successful stepmom. But you can do it. Setting up your boundaries with the ex can help you feel strong in a situation that is loaded with the potential to make you feel stripped of power. read more »