For those of you struggling with blending families, remember- Less is More. I mean, do the basics for the kids-cook, clean, smile at them, but the rest is up to the parental units-and we are NOT one of them, really.

I suggested lights out earlier for the kids, so they can get their rest and we can get grown-up time and it worked like a charm! Daddy read a book and lights out, no drama. Daddy said "Thank you for suggesting these things, this is the first time in a long time that this house feels like a home and I feel like a hero to my daughters"

I think in step-parenting, we feel that we are spent and used and abused. Do as little as you can and go from there, don't carry the weight of THEIR world on YOUR shoulders. Oh-and don't forget to smile to everybody. They might be skids, but they are still children

As for BMs and other exes- they are NOT part of our world. Sadly, they are part of our spouses world, so let them duke it out themselves, and after a while they will learn to shut those doors. As for us-our door has never been opened and will stay shut forever in that respect.