Blended Families and the Perils of Unsolicited Parenting Advice

Co-parenting with the ex-spouse: the stepkids spend their time with the biological mom during the week and with the stepmom and dad during the off-weeks.

The biological mom often acts up when the stepkids are around, and the stepmom is expected to address the issue.

The sister-in-law claims the stepmom is punishing the stepkids by doing fun activities with the biological kids when they're not around.

The stepkids' behavior takes a turn for the worse when they're with the stepmom and their dad, becoming more defiant and pushing boundaries.

The sister-in-law takes issue with the stepmom's activities with her biological kids during the weeks the stepkids are with their mom.

The stepmom insists that when all four kids are together, they do plenty of fun things as a family, but wants to keep life going for the little ones during the off-weeks.

Unsolicited parenting advice can be a common and frustrating part of parenting, especially for mothers.

Easy Gentle Therapy suggests that mothers should politely deflect, set firmer boundaries, or directly state they don't want unasked-for input.

Blended families face emotional and logistical challenges, including adjusting to new parenting styles, struggling with new family dynamics, and managing ongoing conflict.

The question remains, is it unfair to do fun activities with the younger kids when the older stepkids aren't around, or is that just real life? Ultimately, it's up to each family to decide what works best for them.