There are millions upon millions of websites out there for anything in the world that you could be looking for. This holds true for advice columns, information, and forums for step-parents.
If you're looking for some tips, some information, or hey, even someone to vent to, there is a website for you. Well, after you check out my page first of course!
1) E-How: How to be a good step-parent
www.ehow.com/how_2287187_be-good-stepparent.html
Good: This site gives 6 steps that the author feels makes a good step-parent. Many of these steps would work great, in a perfect situation.
Bad: Just that - the steps would work in a perfect situation only. Reality is, that a step by step guide for step-parenting will not work for everyone. Everyone's situation is different. Therefore, everyone will have to alter or create their own steps to make it work.
Good: Fantastic Q&A website. This gives step-parents somewhere to go to vent their problems or ask their questions to people who have dealt with the same, or similair situations. They can see that they are not alone and that someone has not only experience but helpful tips on how to go about changing or fixing these issues. It is great to have somewhere to go that makes you realize that you're problems are not uncommon and there is someone out there to talk to. Plus, it helps some people that this can be anonyomous, as it is only an online forum.
Bad: In my opinion - none at all. Like any forum, you have to take the advice with a grain of salt, you can get some bad tips. But for the most part, it doesn't hurt to try something that has worked for someone before. These are everyday people, like me and you, who share their experiences for others to learn from. I loved it - knowing that I wasn't alone in problems that made me want to pull out my hair was a great feeling!
Good: This website seems to have valid information, and a lot of it. The catch is, you have to pay for it.
Bad: In order to get the full website, you have to purchase a membership from $29.95 to $285.00. The upside to this is, obviously you get full access but each membership has little extras like emails, books, etc.
4) Blended Families : A Guide for Stepparents
www.http://www.helpguide.org/mental/blended_families_stepfamilies.htm
Good: Insightful and realistic tips and advice. Includes information not on other sites. This site has a "real" feeling. It's not there to make you feel like everything will be okay, it's there to help you with what isn't okay. It's not all puppies and rainbows!
Bad: Could go into more detail on some things, but for the most part, it's a great site for simple advice.
5) National Stepfamily Resource Center
Good: This is a fantastic site. It is full of lots of useful information - which includes step-parents rights, programs and services, and a very nice Q&A section. The best part of this site, is that it lists support groups for stepfamilies by state, which includes contact information as well. The most unique thing that this website has is that it has a list of stepfamily myths. This is not only humorous but helps ease expectations.
Bad: None - there is a lot of information so there is a lot to look through, but it's all worth it.
There you have it! There are some websites that I found useful when I felt lost! If you don't check out any other ones, I'd really recommend StepTalk. It's great hearing what other people are going through, it really helps!
Comments
Thanks for the website info. I am always looking online for info just like this and now I have FINALLY found it.
I do want to add about Steptalk: it has the potential to be a great site, but it isn't very well moderated, and as a result there are a lot of mean, hateful people who get out of control and aren't really dealt with very successfully. That's a very bad thing when a stepparent who is desperate comes upon the site and gets ripped to shreds by other members. Better moderation would make that site a lot more useful and a lot safer for stepparents with fragile emotions.
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