The Nacho Kids Podcast: Blended Family Lifesaver – Details, episodes & analysis

In this candid and often humorous episode, Lori and David pull back the curtain on their personal lives, sharing the challenges and surprises that come with caring for aging parents, navigating wills and inheritance in blended families, and keeping family drama at bay during important occasions.

Listeners will hear firsthand stories about planning for final arrangements. Complete with amusing tales of funeral shopping and "drive-thru" ideas. Plus, what it truly feels like to manage adult responsibilities amid the ticking clock of family health issues. Lori and David also discuss crucial estate-planning differences for stepfamilies versus nuclear families and share insights into handling complex inheritance scenarios fairly.

You'll learn:

• Why legal planning is especially important in blended families

• How to open difficult conversations about wills, power of attorney, and inheritance

• Ways to "nacho" family drama (and why you should!)

• Real-life examples of guilt, responsibility, and the art of letting go

Episode #336 – Subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who needs encouragement through their own family journeys!

Nacho Academy Testimonial:

"I had no idea how hard this stepfamily crap would be. We needed help and weren't afraid to admit it. David & Lori really put things into perspective and gave us hope again! Three years later, we are still Nachoing and it's great! Couldn't have done it without them!" ~ J.U., Denver, CO, USA

Struggling to understand why your partner "guilty parents", or noticing it in yourself? This episode dives deep into what "Guilty Parent Syndrome" (GPS) is, why it's so common in blended families, and how partners can navigate it with empathy and confidence.

In Episode #326 of the Nacho Kids Podcast, hosts Lori and David get real about guilty parent syndrome: when guilt affects how parents discipline or interact with their kids, often leading to inconsistent boundaries, indulgence, or fear of "losing" time or connection.

Lori and David share their personal experiences of "parenting through guilt," offer practical scenarios from stepfamily life (like inconsistent discipline or "guilty gift-giving"), and explain why this isn't just a stepfamily phenomenon. They break down why GPS can hit bio-parents so hard and why stepparents, especially those without children, may have trouble truly "getting it." You'll learn why empathy, communication, and realistic expectations are essential for healthier co-parenting and happier homes.

Want to go deeper? Check out Nacho Kids resources, join the Nacho Kids Academy, or connect on social media.

In this episode, Lori and David Sims, founders of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, talk to Jeanette Soltys a divorce and custody attorney, and also a stepmom! The hardest part of her blend is dealing with what the kids say to their other bio parent and assumptions being made about their home. She works to help couples have a more amicable and less costly divorce and custody agreement. 

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Being a stepmom and a Divorce and custody attorney

• Co-parenting relationships

• Differences in parenting

• Family court systems shortcomings

• Needing your own space as a stepparent

• Joint family rules for the blend

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"As a relationship therapist, I had to check out this Nacho thing my clients kept mentioning. I read the stuff online on the website and the Facebook pages and the Facebook group. I decided to be fair about my assessment, so I joined the Academy. I can't tell you how much I learned in the Academy! As a relationship therapist I don't know everything and appreciate this resource for me to help my clients." ~ G.W.

In this episode, Lori and David Sims, founders of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interview Kari Kling. Kari grew up in blended families and shares her story about the differences she experienced in her blends. 

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Having divorced parents when it wasn't the norm

• Learning to have a stable committed relationship after having divorced parents

• Not all blends are the same for the stepkid

• It's not always fair between bio and stepkids

• Stepkids feel they have no say

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"I was miserable and thinking of leaving my wife. I was tired of fighting about the kids. We found the Nacho Method and joined the Academy three months ago, and our lives are so much better! Thank you Nacho!" ~ R.M.

*** DISCLAIMER: Mention of sexual abuse

In this episode, Lori Sims, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews stepmom Terra. Terra has been blending for 10 years, has two stepkids and no biological kids. Although she considers her stepkids her kids, she still uses the Nacho Kids method. Stepparenting isn't easy, as we know, and Terra also had to fight breast cancer!

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Dealing with a bi-polar bio mom

• Having breast cancer while blending

• Importance of having your own space

• Considering the stepkids your own

• Stepkids calling you mom

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"I was suicidal when I came across the Nacho Kids stuff. I am not kidding when I tell you it saved my life." ~ C.H

In this episode, Lori Sims, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, talks with Alison O'Mahony of Be Step Wise about expectations. We have expectations every day from almost everyone we encounter. Why do we have these expectations? What expectations should we have in the blend? Are these expectations realistic?

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Feeling different towards kids

• Can't love people on demand

• Expectations = Disappointment

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"My life will forever be better because of Lori and David's Nacho Academy!" ~ T.P.

In this episode, Lori Sims, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews a stepmom from Pennsylvania. This stepmom has been blending for five years, has four bio kids ages nineteen to thirty, and has four stepkids ages twelve to twenty three. Her kids' bio dad is not in the picture, and her stepkids' bio mom is two-faced.

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Being ignored by the stepkid

• Coming to terms you'll always be an outsider as the stepmom

• Parental Alienation

• Expectations

• Boundaries

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"When a licensed therapist with 30+ years experience refers you to the Nacho Academy, it just goes to show you how good this Nacho thing is! It's a game changer!" ~ J.F.

In this episode, Lori Sims, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews Jason Kreidman with Dad University. Jason struggled with the transition from being single to a married dad with kids. He found himself overwhelmed and stressed out with the increase in responsibilities and demands. He was taking his stress out on his young children and recognized that he needed to change the way he was doing things in order to be a successful father. 

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Being a recovering yeller

• Taking responsibility for self

• Empathy

• Parenting out of guilt

• Expectations

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"My attorney recommended the Nacho Academy to me. It completely changed how I interacted with my ex and saved me a ton of money in attorney's fees! Thank you Nacho creators!" ~ R. M.

In this episode, Lori Sims, founder of Nacho Kids Nacho Parenting, interviews Dr. Tracy Dalgleish.

In this episode, we discuss the following:

• Boundaries

• Negative relationship cycles

• Expectations vs reality

• Wise mind vs reactive mind

• 4 C's - Curiosity, Compassion, Connection, and Collaboration

Nacho Kids Academy Nacho Parenting Success Story:

"The Nacho Kids Academy changed my life! " ~ E.P.