Does your teenage stepkid walk past you without saying a word, disappear into their room, give you one-word answers, or act like they couldn't care less whether you're there?
And have you ever caught yourself wondering: Do they actually dislike me or is this just being a teenager?
In this episode , I sit down with Dr. Todd Jensen, a professor at UNCâChapel Hill who researches stepfamilies and family relationships, to talk about what the research actually tells us about stepmoms and teenage stepkids.
We get into why teenagers may become distant, why entering a child's life when they're older can make stepfamily relationships more complicated, and why stepmoms can easily interpret normal adolescent behavior as rejection. We also talk about the reality that sometimes a close relationship simply doesn't develop and why a peaceful, respectful relationship can still be enough.
Dr. Jensen breaks down what his research suggests actually helps build trust with teenage stepkids including tone, giving teens agency, timing, and allowing the relationship to develop naturally instead of forcing connection.
We also talk about discipline, loyalty binds, difficult stepkids, stepmom-stepdaughter tension, the biological parent's role, and one of the biggest mistakes well-meaning stepmoms make: Taking their stepkid's resistance personally.
If you've ever felt rejected, disrespected, or like a stranger in your own home because of your teenage stepkid, this conversation is for you.
Connect with Dr. Todd Jensen on Instagram | @drtoddjensen Â
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