Sep 3, 2026 · 26 min · 11 segments
What does your stepchild actually need from you, even if they cannot put it into words? In this episode of The Stepmom Diaries, Cameron sits down with Robin Breuner, host of Step Stories: Thriving…
Robin BreunerGuestCameron NormandHostBut, you know, it's, they definitely, you know, I can see where there could be some comparison.
But I think, you know, one of the things that you're saying with all of that is that, like, kids notice stuff.
And if stepmoms are feeling any certain way about the bio mom, the kids are going to pick up on it.
I mean, what you said about them being a safe place to somebody to talk to, I think that's so important.
And as stepmoms, you know, we have a really unique opportunity to be that soft place to land for kids and to say, to embrace like, hey, I'm not your mom.
You have the memory of your mom, you know, whichever circumstance you're in.
We get to have a different relationship and we get to figure that out and really embrace that position as like another connected adult and not feel weird if, you know, the kid wants to go spend time at mom's house or spend time with just their, you know, bio parent.
And, you know, as stepmoms try and build relationships with the kids, it's important for them to try and get some one-on-one time at the pace that the kid wants to go.
And I think stepmoms sometimes can, or stepparents can feel weird about that.
Like they don't want me around, but no, it's everybody needs the one-on-one time.
And I almost always will, if we're there for like, you know, two nights, we'll do a night where we're all together And then I will encourage him to have a night with just my stepdaughter so that they can have some father-daughter time because it is really, really important.
So I think there's like a lot that you just said there that I think is really great advice.
But, you know, it's, they definitely, you know, I can see where there could be some comparison.
But I think, you know, one of the things that you're saying with all of that is that, like, kids notice stuff.
And if stepmoms are feeling any certain way about the bio mom, the kids are going to pick up on it.
I mean, what you said about them being a safe place to somebody to talk to, I think that's so important.
And as stepmoms, you know, we have a really unique opportunity to be that soft place to land for kids and to say, to embrace like, hey, I'm not your mom.
You have the memory of your mom, you know, whichever circumstance you're in.
We get to have a different relationship and we get to figure that out and really embrace that position as like another connected adult and not feel weird if, you know, the kid wants to go spend time at mom's house or spend time with just their, you know, bio parent.
And, you know, as stepmoms try and build relationships with the kids, it's important for them to try and get some one-on-one time at the pace that the kid wants to go.
And I think stepmoms sometimes can, or stepparents can feel weird about that.
Like they don't want me around, but no, it's everybody needs the one-on-one time.
And I almost always will, if we're there for like, you know, two nights, we'll do a night where we're all together And then I will encourage him to have a night with just my stepdaughter so that they can have some father-daughter time because it is really, really important.
So I think there's like a lot that you just said there that I think is really great advice.
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