Step-Mother’s Day

Step-Mother’s Day BY ANGELIA CORNATZER

Most of us do not know that the Sunday following Mother’s Day is nationally recognized as Step-Mother’s Day. As of 2017, one in every three families was a blended family. We can assume that number is even higher in the current year. There was a study done by Brandon Gaille that concluded over half of Americans will be a part of a step-family in their lifetime and that each day there are 1,300 new step-families forming. With that being said, step-families are just as common as, if not more common than, the typical married motherand-father household.

Personally, I have been blessed to have not two…but four amazing parents in my life! My mother and father both remarried and I grew up having four parents cheer me on. With a household of mom and step-/bonus dad and a household of dad and step-/bonus mom, holidays have always been eventful. Throughout life, all four of my parents have allowed and encouraged me to love and celebrate all parents involved. Therefore, I am a huge fan of Mother’s Day and StepMother’s Day! These amazing and separate days allow the mom, the step-mom, and the child to enjoy each moment instead of being stretched or stressed.

As we approach these holidays that can be filled with pain, insecurity, or tension, let us take on new perspectives as we see how to embrace Mother’s Day and Step-Mother’s Day in their own unique ways.

To the “bio-” mom:

You will always be bio-mom! No situation can ever take that from you. Rest in that fact with confidence that your child will always be your child, and you will always be their mom! If your child is gaining or has gained a step-mother figure, look at this as an opportunity for them to have another adult who cares and will be there for them throughout life. You can never have too many blessings, and maybe your child is gaining a blessing through this new woman in their life. Step-mom is not replacing you in your child’s heart; she can partner with you in loving your child and wanting the best for them. Allow, create, or embrace times or space where your child can bond with this new person in their life! Jealousy and pain can be incredibly gut wrenching, but at the end of the day don’t forget how your child is being impacted. Your child will have the best situation if you are on the same page with step-mom or are trying to accept the step-mom in their life! Try to imagine what it would be like to be step- mom in these situations. Yearn for empathy, not competition.

To the step-/bonus mom:

You have such an important role! You get to love and care for this new step-child. As you create this family and enter the life of this child, keep in mind the child’s perspective. They are most likely trying to understand what is going on and how they should operate, now that they have a new family dynamic. Allow your bonding to be organic and intentional. Allow biomom to have time and space with the child. Look at being a step-/bonus mom as partnering with bio-mom in loving and raising this child, not ever as a competition or tool. Keep your focus on what is best and easiest for the child. Try to imagine what it would be like to be bio-mom in these situations! Yearn for empathy, not competition.

As Mother’s Day and Step-Mother’s Day are approaching, consider how your family can be proactive, creative, and positive on these special days. Create space for the child to have input in the way they would like to celebrate Mother’s Day and Step-Mother’s Day. Always think about the feelings of your child in each situation. Remember, these holidays that happen once a year do not define your relationship with your child or your worth as a step-mom or bio-mom. At the end of the day, it is one day and there are 364 more for you and your child!

For step moms or those who know a step mom, you can find helpful and practical resources by visiting CoParentingInternational.com!

2022

Welcome to the Summer Camp Showcase! From March to May, Forsyth Family is including a special series, with highlights of some of the best summer camp programs in the area. These special issues offer informative articles that can help you and your camper prepare for a wonderful summer.

Summer camp is a wonderful, memorable, and exciting opportunity for your child. It’s a chance to experience new things, make new friends, and learn new skills. As you make plans for summer, be sure to let our advertising camp programs know you saw them in this issue of Forsyth Family!

SUMMER

CAMPING

Is there a time of year that kids look forward to more than summertime? Sure, Christmas or Halloween, or maybe even that first snow of the season come close, but summer is in a league of its own.

Summer is full of long days outside in the sun, taking trips to places new and familiar, spending time with old friends, making new friendships, and plenty more. There’s so much to pack into just one season that it’s no surprise that our fondest memories tend to take us back to the summer months of our childhood.

For decades, the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina has been the destination for those memories, for creating experiences with the great outdoors, and for being the place where youth from all backgrounds can come together and share these moments in safe, nurturing spaces.

As we approach another summer season, the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina’s Summer Exploration Academies are gearing up to welcome campers into our Ys. And, staff at YMCA Camp Hanes in Stokes County are getting the 400-acre memory-maker ready for another season of overnight and day campers.

If you’re looking for your camper to have an incredible summer experience close to home, then look no further than Summer Exploration Academy, or SEA. In this program, campers will spend the day at the Y, where they will experience the outdoors, swimming, and playtime, but will also have exposure to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities, arts and crafts, reading time, and more. Every week at SEA is a new experience! The Y has weekly themes that will direct a lot of the activities campers participate in daily, giving them the chance to learn about new ideas and applying them to their camp experience. SEA is open to campers ages 3 years-old up to rising 9th graders.

“Summer Exploration Academy is a great program for our youth because it gives them a chance to get outside and stay active, as well as focus on their mental, emotional, and social wellbeing,” said Chris Chunn, Executive Director of Education and Swim at the YMCA of NWNC. “Our counselors consistently do great work every week of the summer to make sure these kids have an incredible time.”

If you’re interested in the more “traditional” summer camp experience, then YMCA Camp Hanes is the place for you. For nearly a century, YMCA Camp Hanes—located in King at the base of Sauratown Mountain—has given campers a remarkable setting to grow closer to nature and discover talents and interests they never knew they had. Whether campers spend their week at YMCA Camp Hanes overnight in cabins, or just during the day, they get the full camp experience. Campers have a chance to try out archery, climbing, water ziplines, lake slides, canoeing, and more. Plus, there are plenty of opportunities for swimming, sports, arts and crafts, and other activities.

“Summer camp programs are more important than ever before,” said Jen de Ridder, Executive Director at YMCA Camp Hanes. “Camps can provide a safe, positive place to build relationships, achievement, and a sense of belonging. In this challenging time, supporting campers emotionally, physically, mentally, and socially is invaluable to their growth and development.”

At the Y, we are strong believers in bringing people into our branches and into our programs, regardless of their financial situation. Thanks to incredibly generous donors and community partners, we offer financial scholarships to those who may not be able to afford sending their children to any kind of summer camp setting. The benefits of summer camp to a child are too important, and we are blessed to be able to open our doors to as many children as we can.

If you are interested in the Summer Exploration

Academy at the Y or YMCA

Camp Hanes, please visit our website at ykidscamp.org.

If you are interested in donating to our Annual Impact Fund, so that more children can experience summer programs through the Y, please visit ymcanwnc.org/give.