home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Organization: Student Employment Office, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
- Path: sparky!uunet!cis.ohio-state.edu!news.sei.cmu.edu!bb3.andrew.cmu.edu!crabapple.srv.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!jm5p+
- Newsgroups: misc.kids
- Message-ID: <wfLjMC600WBMI2gP1A@andrew.cmu.edu>
- Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 14:14:22 -0500
- From: Judi Mancuso <jm5p+@andrew.cmu.edu>
- Subject: Re: meeting future step children
- In-Reply-To: <93015.45079.6197110@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM>
- References: <93015.45079.6197110@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM>
- Lines: 30
-
- >
- >HELP! Next week I will be meeting my boyfriend's daughters for the first
- >time. They are 13 and 8, and live with their mother.
- >
- >I would GREATLY appreciate any ideas/thoughts/helpful hints on things to
- >do or not do when I meet them. I think the plan is to take them to McDonalds
- >or something like that.
- >
- >It's important to me that I have a good relationship with them, because
- >their father and I will probably get married in the next year or so.
- >
- >Thanks!
-
- Ramona--
- I am going to speak from experience--I was once a 13 year old meeting a
- future step mom---WHOA! All I can tell you is this--do not tell them
- how great their father is, do not tell them "I do not want to replace
- your mom", do not say "I want to be your friend" and do not tell them
- that you are going to marry their father. Going to McDonald's might not
- be a great idea---you are setting yourself up--it requires conversation.
- How about something like a movie then out for ice cream or something
- (you can discuss the movie!). Just remember, these are young GIRLS and
- this man is THEIR father--so a gradual introduction into their lives is
- probably the best thing. This is real tough. When I look back, I can
- pretty much tell you that the first impression of my step mom (20 some
- years ago) has lasted a lifetime and even though we got over the bumps
- and bruises over the years, I still remember that feeling in the pit of
- my stomach and the ache in my heart......she probably never knew what
- she should and should not say......you are sensitive and caring enough
- to ask. Good Luck. Judi
-