07.24.07
Posted in Dawn's Life, Kids Today at 7:58 am by Dawn Miller
I’m traveling for two weeks several states away from my family doing work for clients, so this article about keeping in touch with kids across the miles resonated with me.
You can plan imaginary trips, grow a garden together (yet apart), go nature sleuthing, or read a book together. There are some good ideas to encourage fun activities you can discuss long-distance, and many of the activities support educational growth and development. Many of the activities can be done by mail or e-mail.
I’m having a productive trip and also visiting my parents, but I’m glad that I’ll be home on Saturday. My husband stayed home to run our business and has enjoyed spending some extra time with his kids while I’ve been gone.
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07.15.07
Posted in News, Perspectives at 8:43 am by Dawn Miller
A divorced and remarried Dad recently wrote in to Ask Lisa with Philly Women seeking advice. His wife wants for the stepfather to adopt the Dad’s kids, so the Dad doesn’t have to pay child support. And he adds, part of why she is pushing for the adoption is so if anything happens to their Mom, the kids won’t have to live with them. He also says, ”she does not like my kids at all.”
Oh so much could be said about this. Oh so much.
Unbelievable. No wonder stepmothers get a bad rap! Are there actually women in this world who are this conniving, manipulative, and selfish?
When you marry a guy with kids, he doesn’t stop being a dad because he’s married to you.
Admittedly – sometimes I don’t like my stepkids either – and I think my feelings are common to most stepparents. There are days I adore my stepkids and days I don’t. But we are a stepfamily and we are in this together. And yes, we pay child support and more. And sometimes it’s tough – really tough – and I wonder what I signed up for when I got into this. But I knew up front that he was a Dad, and that would never change. Period.
Chopping the kids out of Dad’s life legally, financially, and emotionally is not a solution to the wife’s insecurities.
Bravo to Lisa of Ask Lisa for Philly Women, for writing back that his wife needs counseling and advice on how to deal with the demands of a bldended family, and suggesting that the Dad spend more time with his kids.
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07.12.07
Posted in News at 4:19 am by Dawn Miller
Thanks to Step by Step, for letting us know about the MTV casting call for children of divorce ages 16-28 for a new reality show about life in blended families.
Read the casting call.
One can only hope that MTV does a better job than ABC of showing life in blended families.
To sign up, contact blended@mtvstaff.com
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07.03.07
Posted in Kids Today at 1:20 am by Dawn Miller
Watching my stepkids text message on their cell phones, and knowing how long it takes me to peck out a message – I know that even though I’m a tech enthusiast – they are tech-saturated. And so are their friends.
Kids are using electronic devices at earlier ages. A new marketing research study found that the age children start interacting with electronics dropped from 8.1 years of age in 2005 to 6.7 years of age in 2007.
Our kids live in a wired world, and they need to learn how to make wise decisions about technology. Talk to your kids about how to use electronics and the Internet with safety in mind, and get informed about the technology yourself.
There’s a lot of great information available online from NetSmartz, they have online games for kids, information for teens, and advice for parents.
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