How nice it can be.

Yesterday morning, before school, I told my sd (stepdaughter) that I would look to see if the Y (that is where we are members) had any beginner's yoga classes for us to attend that evening. She wasn't enthusiastic about it. She just said "yeah, I'll go."

See the thing is that I have been trying to get the kids more involved in taking care of their bodies. Eating better, exercising more, getting enough sleep- You know what I'm talkin' about. But they really don't care to do any of these things. My H (husband) and I cook very well during the evenings. The kids usually like what we fix. But we are not with them during the 8 hours they are at school- Who know what they are eating or not eating during that time.

Anyway- She came home yesterday from school and the first thing she asks me about is the YOGA CLASS! Damn- I completely forgot to look it up on the internet!
I tell her I forgot but that I would look right then, and if we found something we would go. The only class that we could attend started in 20 minutes across town during 5:0o traffic? (what the hell was I thinking)
Change your clothes, because the class starts in 20 minutes. We'll be alittle late, but at least we can get some time in....

Her response, no that's okay, we don't have to go.

DAMN IT!! I says to myself- She has never wanted to go and the time that she wants to go, we're going to be late. She hates being late. She would not want to go because we're going to be late in front of other people. But I tell her not to worry that if we leave now, we can make it.

We ended up being about 10 minutes late to the class.
But here is the thing, I got to see her in this class. Poised, attentive and a willingness to learn something new. We both strived to keep our balance during our "tree" and other yoga practi. I was wanting to cut up and "make it fun". But something told me to not bother her to much with my clowning around. She just wants to take a Yoga class- I had to remind myself.

At the end of class, while bundled up in fetal position looking up, she looks at me and mouths, this is so fun!

I almost started to cry.

She is just 12, going on 40. I had the privledge of going to that class with her. I have the priveledge to share in her life. Not as a "mother" figure, but as a woman. I am a woman trying to help support another woman to be and do her best. It is just in this situation, I expect a little more from her and she from me.

This is how nice it can be to be the "other" mother.

Hi. Welcome to AnotherMama.

I have thought about doing this for quite some time and now is the time to get it going! AnotherMama is about me and my life as a Stepmom. All of the good and bad. And how I chose to step-parent based on my own experiences growing up in the same situation in which my step-children find themselves. Horrible divorce, 50/50 custody, both parents remarried, and the mother and step-mother that no matter what.... just do not get along.

Never did I think I would ever find myself married to a man with three children! Never-ever! But I met my husband and thought we'll go out a couple of times and probably wont have anything in common(I had never dated anyone with children). Was I wrong. By the second date I was completely taken with him. I thought to myself that he might just be THE ONE. This took me by surprise. AND that was the first time I even considered what my life might be like as a stepmom.

This site is about living in the blended family. And how children can struggle through the new family even though they may not say it. And how we as step-parents can put out our radars and become more in tuned with our children's needs.

Yes, I do say our children because we all are now responsible for the raising of these children.

Enjoy!