I just received a huge amount of recognition for the work I do! And I am proud to share it with you all! Step by Step Mom – aka me- was nominated for The Sunshine Blogger Award by StepLife Stepfamily Coaching, owned by Erin Careless!! Unfortunately, I was getting ready for a big camping trip and wasn’t able to write the blog until today. The Sunshine Blogger Award is given from bloggers to other bloggers who are creative, positive, and inspiring. I am in great company with the other nominees. I love how our blogging community is working to change the stereotypes of stepparenting, coparenting, and step families. Thank you, StepLife for the huge honour! Here is Erin’s link to her blog: http://blog.steplife.ca/
Once nominated, the blogger is required to write a post where they:
- Thank the blogger who nominated them and link back to their blog.
- Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated them.
- Nominate other bloggers and ask 11 new questions.
- Notify your nominees and create/display a Sunshine Blogger Award logo in the post
My questions and answers:
- What inspired you to start writing in this area?
I was a stepmom trying to figure the stepfamily thing on my own. I really struggled- hard! I wanted to share some of what I learned along the way, so that other stepmoms would benefit from my mistakes- yes there were plenty- and my wins. Plus, I have lots of experience helping parents with parenting issues and challenges so wanted to share that as well. I was able to combine my own personal experiences of stepfamily living with that of the professional work I had done to create the new insights into step parenting. The biggest reason- I want to help stepfamilies know that their struggles are really normal and there are ways to handle them.
- Who is your target audience for your blog?
Stepmoms!! Especially those who struggle with their roles and parenting children not born to them- a totally different ball game in my honest opinion. So much of the responsibility without a lot of authority to do so. But, I have a new business and my new target audience is supporting couples in stepfamilies. The divorce rate is upto 70%. I want to help to change that.
- What is your number one stepfamily/blended family tip for your readers?
You don’t have to be the disciplinarian – and you shouldn’t at least for the first 3-4 years. Establish a relationship- a positive supportive one first, then you have EARNED the right to be in charge and discipline.
- What was the best piece of stepfamily advice YOU received?
Your stepkids don’t have to love you- or even like you- but they have to respect you. In otherwords, lower those expectations. And the reverse is also true- you don’t have to love them either. A little further to that- you may not ever get to the one big happy family.
- If you have an entire day to yourself, to do whatever you want, what are you doing?
Sitting on a beach somewhere watching my husband relax and float on the ocean, watching my kids splash in the surf with our dog while I write my blog!!! ?
- What was your first blog about? What was your most recent blog about?
An introduction to myself and how I said I’d never date a divorced dad. We know how that turned out! My most recetn blog was on how to handle parenting challenges while the kids are out of school. You can actually read that here: http://www.aliwilks.com/parenting-preservation/self-care/stop-the-summer-stressing-stepmama/.
- Who inspires you in your life?
My family- but mostly my kiddos.
- What is the best thing about blogging to you?
It provides me a platform to share my insights and what I’ve learned so that maybe, another person’s perspective will change and they will feel better about their situation or have some new ideas to try. And, I love to write.
- What is your blogging routine? (When and where do you blog, do you blog on a schedule or whenever you’re are inspired, etc.?
Usually when I’m inspired. I’m trying to get better at this, I want to get back into a routine. It is summer vacation so this is more challenging. I have a lot happening right now. I’ve just acquired a new business, Stepcoupling .com and I’m working on re- doing that website. Exciting times!!
- Do you offer services along with your blogging?
This is the REAL reason why I haven’t blogged on a regular basis. I am updating my Step by Step Mom website, my Stepcoupling website, I am creating packages- which includes coaching, I am creating/ writing classes to teach in my community, and I am creating /writing for The Successful Stepcouple Retreat in Canmore, September 29- October 1!! Sounds busy- and it is. But this is my passion- so really it’s not work.
- What is on your blogging wish list? (What do you want to talk about next?)
I am interviewing Susan Wisdom, author of Stepcoupling: Creating and Sustaining a Strong Marriage in Today’s Blended Family, I am also writing a blog for Divorce Force, an on- line divorce support app about how to make sure your issues left over from your first marriage don’t spill over into your new relationship/ marriage. And another blog on why stepmoms shouldn’t bend over backwards to get their stepkids to like them.
The bloggers I am nominating are passionate, creative, and are making a difference in the world for blended families.
My nominees: Stepmom Warrior- Nicole Di Lorenzo, Carrie Ellis- Berg of Bell and The Blended Bell Family Pack and Nacho Mom- Jennifer Zelman
My 11 questions for my three nominees:
- What is your favorite part about blogging in the stepparenting/co-parenting realm?
- What made you want to start blogging about something so personal?
- What’s the hardest topic you’ve chosen to write about?
- What’s the best part about being a step parent? What’s the hardest part?
- What is one of your biggest a- ha moments about being a step parent?
- What is the message you want to share with the world about being in a step family?
- What is your personal motto when it comes to step- parenting??
- What’s something very few people know about you, but that you are proud of?
- What’s your favorite article you’ve ever written?
- Have you created any products for your readers?
- What’s your next big blog project or other projects you have on the go you’d like to share?
Thank you so much StepLife for this honour and thank you to all the other bloggers out there who are creating an amazing community of expertise and providing education and supports that are changing the way we blend, mix, and grow our families!
XO Ali
