Career Girl's Guide to Becoming a Stepmom

April 15, 2007
According to the National Stepfamily Resource Center, there are more than 15 million stepmothers in the United States, yet resources for these women are still scarce. New stepmoms face the challenges not only of marriage but also of being an "intimate outsider" in a stepfamily. Stepmother, stepdaughter, and freelance writer Fletcher offers advice on how women can take skills they've learned on the job and transfer them to their new stepfamilies. She writes about the specific issues stepmothers encounter (e.g., the ex, the legal questions, and bonding with the stepkids), focusing on how those issues differ from the challenges of "first families." Each chapter opens with the "Career Girl's Personal Assistant"a series of questions women can ask themselves about applying specific career and management techniques to dealing with a stepfamily. Fletcher goes on to explore each topic, citing stepfamily research, anecdotes from other stepmoms, and suggestions from therapists. Each chapter concludes with questions for stepmoms to discuss with their husbands. Throughout, Fletcher remains positive and optimistic about stepfamilies' chances for success. Suitable for most public libraries.Erica L. Foley, Flint P.L., MI

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