Review of The Friendship Factor.

A positive book boosting the courange stepmom (parents) need to start a new family.

Book Review by Jan Wilson

The Courage to Be a Stepmom:
Finding Your Place Without Losing Yourself

by Sue Patton Thoele

It takes courage from both parents to start a new family and a lot of that courage must come from mom. This is a positive book that puts many of the myths of stepmotherhood to rest.

It takes courage from both parents to start a new family but a lot of that courage must come from mom. Sue Thoele, a psychotherapist, mom, & stepmom, draws from her own experience as a stepmother to bring that courage to other stepmoms. She also uses interviews from over 30 other stepmothers to bring reality to the book.

The underlying premises of the book are

You have to be willing to grow yourself in order to promote growth in your stepfamily.
Being a stepmom is extremely challenging and is sometimes quite painful.
Being a stepmom is potentially quite rewarding as a life role.

Buy this book

You must take care of and nurture yourself for your own sake as well as the benefit of all family members.

Who’s taking care of mom? Often no one.

Realistic tools are given for communication, priority setting and making a place for mom in the family.

The book also addresses stepmothers’ commonly felt emotions--guilt, shame, grief, frustration, and fear--and offers hands-on advice for acknowledging and dealing with them.

Buy this book

The author encourages stepmothers to look within and work with their feelings, expectations and beliefs to build a successful stepfamily. A good book for veteran stepmothers and a lifesaver for new stepmoms, this is a positive book that puts many of the myths of stepmotherhood to a well-deserved rest.

Buy this book

*CyberParent Recommended Reading for More Information:*
Review book Buy this book Aimed at Stepmoms	Review book Buy this book Aimed at Stepcouples	Review book Buy this book General Blended Family	*Review Book* Buy this book Stepparenting with Humor	*Review Book* Buy this book Adult Stepchidren	Review Book Buy this book General Blended Family

Book Review: The Blended Family Sourcebook	Book Review: Blending Families
Book Review: The Courage to Be a Stepmom	Book Review: Divorce and New Beginnings
Book Review: Stepcoupling	Book Review: Step Wars
Book Review: Step Wise	Book Review: Surviving Your Adolescents.
Book Review: 1-2-3 Magic	Book Review: Boundaries
Book Review: The Combined Family	Book Review: *Living in a StepFamily*
CD Review: Pick Me Up	*DVD Review: The Happiest Baby on Block*
VHS Review: Baby See 'n Sign	*VHS Review: Sign with Your Baby*
VHS Review: The Wiggles-20 Videos

Note: The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of CyberParent. They are not intended to take the place of advice of a health, legal, or other professional whose expertise you might need to seek.

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