I've often wondered the same thing Ruby. I would love to see a program on TV that focuses on the unique dynamics of stepfamilies. Unfortunately, I think that if there ever was a show of this type, it would exploit the people in involved (especially stepmoms), to get good ratings. I would really love to see a program that highlights not only the difficulties, but also the strong loving relationships that so many women (just like us) forge with children that we didn't give birth to -- and all the sacrifices we make so that they can have a normal life. For once, I would love to see that protrayed in a favorable light.

I might be interested if Dateline or another show like that did something factual story or series about stepfamilies, showing how things go bad as well as what people have done to be successful, etc. but I think any so called 'reality' type show would be as phony as the ones you mentioned... people that want to be in the limelight for their 15 minutes of fame would ruin it. I cannot stand the show where that nanny comes in to teach parents of half grown kids, how to take back their life because they've raised brats for years. They don't really deal with the issues that parents have that cause some of the poor parenting behavior, as far as I have seen they only deal with telling the parent what they are doing wrong & how to do it their way. It has some entertainment value but personally I don't think it's realistic or a healthy way to intervene with children... how much is played up for camera's? (by the kids & adults) In my opinion, it's sorta exploiting the children. And I'd like to see them go back every two years to see how the parents are doing... it wouldn't surprise me to see old habits resurface or they learned how to deal with their child at 3 but when the child is 12 & do they still know how to parent a 12 year old?

I like the movie Stepmom but it's hardly realistic. It shows the struggles the kids go through, loyalty conflicts, & the territorial mom vs. stepmom that oversteps/steps on her toes... etc. In reality, I have gone out of my way in the first few years to do nice things for BM to show her how I cared for her daughter & it was met with jealousy, resentment, etc. Today, she is content that SD & I do not get along, but sadly she doesn't want to have SD around her much either... so she's more content to see her daughter have nobody than to have me. I would love to see that issue addressed & have one of those type of mother's interviewed and asked point blank, why they feel that way & how they think their child feels when they succeed. I know you can't change people, but I'd sure love to at least be able to TRY to understand it.... as a mother.

We could always watch the re-runs of the Brady Bunch. Doesn't every step-family work that way? :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Enjoy!

There are some sitcoms about stepfamilies such as Reba.

I like Reba even though the stepmom in it starts out as the mistress who had a hand in breaking up the marriage and is very much portrayed as the dumb blonde. But at least its a show where both the mom and stepmom exist. So many other shows about stepfamilies its as if the other parents just vanished....thats not reality. Just cause a parent remarries doesn't mean the other parent goes away and stops being part of their child's life. It does show some normal stepfamily dynamics such as the stepmom trying to take over and parent the youngest child, the youngest child slipping and calling the stepmom Mommy, the middle child deciding to move in with Dad, ect.

I loved that series and bought it awhile back. Sometimes I wanted to hit Reba up side the head for taking all of the crap she took, especially for not changing the locks. LOL

I think I will get that out and start watching it again. She is really good in the part. There is so little on TV worth watching now. I was so disgusted with it I stopped watching and had cable disconnected along with my land line.

I love Immamommy's idea with interviewing the mother and getting the tough questions answered! But that would only work assuming the mother would be completely upfront and honest. I would most definetly tune in to that interview! How many times a day do I think to myself "if I could just understand what is going through her head!" I read a book recently called "Noone's the B****" and it explores the feelings of both the stepmom and birthmom. It does have some personal experiences tied into it and I thought it was a very interesting read. I think stepmoms and birthmoms are alot more alike and have more in common than they would like to believe!

I think it is a tool one of them uses because she is angry or was dumped or badly treated during the proceedings. When my sis got her first alimony payment it was made out by the second wife who put a smiley face on the check and wrote "I got him". Yeah she got him alright and she got over $200,000. half of that should have been my sister's. She is a lady and only vengeful thing she did was to show the check to her ex husband so he would know what kind of woman he ended up with.