The Stepmom Side Podcast

#172: How to Stop Disappearing in Your Own Home—Without Forcing Connection

Why do some stepmoms retreat to their bedrooms when the rest of the family is together—and how can they stop disappearing without forcing a connection that does not feel

#171: Why Stepmoms Hide in Their Bedrooms—and What They’re Really Escaping

Why do some stepmoms withdraw to their bedrooms when their stepchildren are home—even when they genuinely want to feel connected to the family? In this episode of The St

#170: Being a Stepmom to a Widower: Grief, Boundaries, and Finding Your Place

How is being a stepmom to a widower different from joining a blended family after divorce? And how can a new partner honor the children’s mother while still asking for a

#169: When Your Wife Stops Asking: Understanding Emotional Disconnection in Marriage with Kameran Alareqi

Sometimes the argument about the dishes is about the dishes. Sometimes it’s about having to ask fourteen times and wondering whether your partner actually hears you. In

#168: How to Disengage as a Stepmom Without Becoming Cold or Checking Out

What does it mean to disengage as a stepmom—and can she step back without becoming cold, distant, or uncaring? In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia explai

#167: Stepkids Struggle On Transition Days: What Stepmoms Can Do

Why does a stepchild seem withdrawn, irritable, hyper, or resistant to house rules after returning from their other parent’s home? In this episode of The Stepmom Side Pod

#166: When Dad Won’t Enforce the Rules: What a Stepmom Should—and Shouldn’t—Do

Who should discipline the stepkids—and what should a stepmom do when her partner refuses to enforce the rules? In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia shares

#165: It’s Not a Character Flaw: How Perimenopause Affects Memory, Mood and Stress with Jennifer Gularson

If you’ve recently found yourself forgetting appointments, waking up drenched in sweat at 2 a.m., struggling to concentrate, or feeling completely overwhelmed by things y

#164: When Back-to-School Stress Turns Into Resentment Toward Your Partner

Back-to-school stress can expose an unequal division of labor in a blended family—especially when the stepmom is managing school supplies, schedules, transportation, meal

#163: Homework Battles in Blended Families: What Is the Stepmom’s Role?

What should a stepmom do when her stepchild refuses to complete homework—or when she cares more about missing assignments than her partner does? Homework battles in blen

#162: Different Rules at Each House: How to Create a School Routine That Works

What should a stepmom do when the rules are completely different at each house? Different bedtimes, screen limits, homework expectations, chores, and consequences can ma

#161: School Events When Your Partner’s Ex Will Be There: How Stepmoms Can Handle the Awkwardness

School events can trigger outsider syndrome for stepmoms. Especially when their partner’s ex and extended family will be there. Where should everyone sit? Should divorced

#160: Back-to-School Planning in a Blended Family: Who Is Responsible for What?

Back-to-school planning can get complicated quickly in a blended family. Who buys the school supplies and clothes? Who completes registration forms, manages transportatio

#159: What If I Don’t Like My Stepkids? The Truth No One Talks About (re-release)

What if you don’t like your stepkids? It’s the question that stepmoms whisper to themselves and rarely admit out loud. In this episode, Alicia unpacks why these feelings

#158: The Emotional Reality of Stepmom Life with Darlene Sparks

In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia Krasko sits down with certified stepfamily coach Darlene Sparks for an honest conversation about the realities of step

#157: Family Meetings, Chore Battles, and Teenagers: Real Talk About Blended Family Life with Ashley Noelle

Blended families don't become connected overnight—and honestly, nobody hands you a roadmap. In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia sits down with Ashle

#156: The Truth About Happy Blended Families

Are you constantly wondering why your blended family doesn't feel like the happy, picture-perfect family you imagined? You're not doing anything wrong. In thi

#155: In Blended Families, The Real Problem Isn't Always the Kids

Feeling unsupported by your husband or partner can make blended family life feel incredibly lonely. In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia talks about why p

#154: The Hidden Reason You're So Angry as a Stepmom

Do you feel resentful as a stepmom and then immediately guilty for feeling that way? You're not alone. In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia dives int

#153: Why Belonging Feels So Hard in Blended Families

Feeling like an outsider in your own home as a stepmom? You're not alone. In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia explores why so many stepmoms struggle