I’m not enough.
Those three words have rattled around in my brain plenty of times. I bet they even made an appearance in the thoughts of that super cool and confident stepmother I met when I was 19.
When your stepchild misses their biological parent you may feel like you’re not enough. When you show up to a school event in the place of a biological parent you may think I’m not enough. When you go out of your way to impress or entertain your stepchild and they don’t react the way you’d hoped – you may hear yourself whisper I’m not enough.
The truth is – it’s never enough. Even for biological parents. Sometimes you can never give enough hugs, enough encouragement, enough time. It will never be enough. But everything you are giving matters.
Step-parents are a special breed of parent. A hybrid of strength, bravery, patience and compassion.
As a stepmother , I know it’s hard to feel as though nothing you do is enough. This feeling will come and go with the tides. Just remember that it’s not only stepmother who feel this way. Every parent feels this way at one time or another (or even every day).
Feel the words. Acknowledge the words. Then send those words on their way.
So let those three words pass through your mind or even your lips. Feel the words. Acknowledge the words. Then send those words on their way.
One day you may also be remembered as that super cool stepmother who wanted to be enough for her stepchild and tried her very best to give them a wonderful life. How amazing is that?
One day, you’ll realize that you were enough (and then some).
Originally published HERE. Michelle writes and shares about parenting, step-parenting, society, trends, culture, health, relationships, beauty, and more at her website The Pondering Nook. You can see her featured blogs on The Huffington Post, Stepparent Magazine, PairedLife, Role Reboot & Your Tango, and follow her on Facebook. She is also a co-host at The Broad’s Way Podcast where they discuss similar topics plus much more!
