A real woman who loves and supports children that are not her own, after having married their
father. She helps her husband raise the children and is either appreciated or not - usually not, no matter what she does (or at least not for many years). Most stepmoms have it a lot tougher than stepdads because the expectations are much higher for stepmoms and the criticism is MUCH harsher and more common.
Rarely the mean, controlling, selfish, get-
rid-of-the-
kids/make-them-slaves, etc. assholes they often are accused of being by
kids who do this because they have a biological mom who is furious/jealous her ex-husband remarried and therefore (subtly) manipulates her
kids into disliking the stepmom, and also because these
kids often have issues due to other forms of emotional/psychological abuse committed against them by their biological mom - which the children will usually be completely unaware of. Usually though, the
kids have bad attitudes about the stepmom simply because they just
don't like sharing their
dad with her, sharing a house with her, and worst of all - when she tells them to act right and then disciplines them if they
don't. Most care deeply about the
kids and only want the best for them.
Most stepmoms
don't just give up and walk away but hang in there and keep working hard to love & support the
kids regardless of how they are treated – w/o any expectation they will EVER love her back – which means stepmoms are NOT what they are usually accused of, they are heroes.
Teen #1 told another how her stepmom "didn't care about" her and "treated (her) like
crap"
Teen #2 responds: Wow, that sucks, what does she do/not do? Does she yell at you?
Teen #1: No...
Teen #2: Does she ignore you?
Teen #1: No... she always tries to talk to me, even though I'm being totally obvious that I don't want her around... always asking me how I am, how's
school, what's going on, what do I want for my
birthday, do I need anything... so annoying...
Teen #2: Does she complain about your real mom or your
dad in front of you?
Teen #1: No... my mom's alway dissing her and my
dad...
Teen #2: Does she not feed you? Not buy you clothes and other stuff you need?
Teen #1: No...
Teen #2: Does she not go to your events, like games, performances, school stuff, other stuff??
Teen #1: No... she goes to more of those than my mom does... even if it's expensive and she has to fly home from
work and not even get a minute to eat til afterward...
Teen # 2: Does she hog all the
time with your
dad?
Teen #1: No, he told me she's always telling him to make sure to spend
time with me and my
brother without her always being there with us...
Teen #2: Does she criticize you?
Teen #1: No... but dude, yesterday she told me to pick up my candy wrapper off the floor and throw it away... And when I didn't, she told my
dad!! ...AND she won't let me watch 12 hours of TV a day!!!
Teen #2: No WAY!! What a BITCH!!!
