Stepparents often have a tough job. They deal with misunderstandings, worries, and sometimes even rejection. But through it all, they stay committed. Over time, they learn how to build trust, create new family traditions, and move from “step” to “parent” in ways that make a real difference.

The Story:

In my junior year of high school, my dad married the woman he had cheated on my mom with years earlier. As a moody teenager, I wasn’t happy about his new marriage and was usually distant and cold toward her when we saw each other.

A year later, my dad was driving me to the airport to go to college, and my stepmom took time off work to meet us there and give me a care package. She hugged me and told me she was proud of me. When she stepped back, I saw tears in her eyes.

At that moment, I realized she wasn’t a bad person, even if she (and my dad) had done things wrong in the past. Our relationship got much better after that, and now she feels like a second mom to me.