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Comment by Amanda Schoenberg on October 25, 2010 at 2:50pm

Hi folks,
I am writing an article for the Albuquerque Journal's Boomer Magazine about how blended families deal with the holiday season. I would love to speak with boomer step-parents (aged 46-64) who have navigated this situation and can offer some helpful tips for readers. I would need to speak with people by Wednesday.

Thank you in advance for your help! Feel free to pass along my email and phone number to others who are not in the group.

Best wishes,
Amanda Schoenberg
Features reporter
Albuquerque Journal
aschoenberg@abqjournal.com
505-823-3923

Comment by CARMEN BENNETT on December 30, 2008 at 8:54pm

Ready for an interesting story that could almost sell as fiction? Problem is its very real ! I became a step-mom to 6 kids when I married my ex-husband October 12th, 1974. Five girls and one boy. The youngest was a boy 4yrs old, and the oldest were 3 teenage daughters ranging from 13- 15. I had a 5 yr old son from a previous relationship at the time. Three months after our marriage I became pregnant with our daughter who was born October 19th, 1975. During my pregnancy, not only did I have ALL 6 of my step-kids plus my son living under our roof, but we inherited a teen-age Foster son.... in a strange set of circumstances. His father had married my husband's ex-wife. And at one time the three oldest girls plus Walter lived with Mama Judy, as we called her. The ex-wife, Mama Judy, and her husband wanted to move to Montana... and the 4 teeenagers didn't want to go. So they all moved in with us....including the foster son who was the step-brother to my step-kids, via their mother. Got a head ache yet trying to decipher this ? LOL ! Well, anyhow, when my daughter was born I was only 28, with NINE kids under one roof and in one room sometimes ! Thats when I started literally counting heads and asking myself what I was doing with 9 kids at the age of 28! Are you crazy ? YEP ! That's how we became the BENNETT bunch ! LOL ! And the story gets worse. My husband was on medical disabilities, and could not drive. I didn't fully understand everything before I married him, as I was very naive and going through my own difficulties. I didn't realize I was going from the frying pan into the fire. We had a lot of adjustments to make as a blended family, living on welfare at the time, and major medical problems to over come. It eventually took its toll on our health and marriage. We survived 22 years of marriage before we separated in Jan 96 and divorced Nov 96. It wasn't easy, but I think I could have written the book on step-parenting! Well, at least one of them. I'm not an expert, but a wounded warrior so to speak. I will be happy to answer questions and help others if I can.

Comment by dolores on July 20, 2008 at 8:14am

You are entering into some deep waters my friend.