Advice for new stepparents

Meg Newman, MS, Marriage and Family Therapist, shares advice for new stepparents on how to connect to your stepchild and facilitate the transition for them
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Advice for new stepparents

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My advice to a new stepparent is to make an effort to really connect with your stepchild, not as a parent, but as a supportive person in their life, and not to take anything personal. The child goes through so much, going back and forth from home to home, feelings about their own parents not being together. And it's so important to be there for them, not being the person telling them what to do or what not to do, and being really consistent, and know that their feelings that they might be projecting onto you are not really about you. So the less anger you can have in your responses and the more love you can have, the better.

Meg Newman, MS, Marriage and Family Therapist, shares advice for new stepparents on how to connect to your stepchild and facilitate the transition for them

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Meg Newman, MS, LMFT

Therapist

Meg Newman is a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice in Venice and Tarzana CA. Meg is also a mother and stepmom. Meg has worked as a therapist with children and teens focusing on a variety of issues concerning anxiety, eating disorders, body image, substance abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. Meg is native to Los Angeles and loves spending time with family, as well as snowboarding as often as possible.

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Transcription: 
My advice to a new stepparent is to make an effort to really connect with your stepchild, not as a parent, but as a supportive person in their life, and not to take anything personal. The child goes through so much, going back and forth from home to home, feelings about their own parents not being together. And it's so important to be there for them, not being the person telling them what to do or what not to do, and being really consistent, and know that their feelings that they might be projecting onto you are not really about you. So the less anger you can have in your responses and the more love you can have, the better.