"I don't like being a stepmom today."

Have you ever thought that and immediately felt guilty about it? Maybe you're dreading another custody weekend, feeling resentful about everything you're expected to do, or just wishing you could take a little break from stepmom life.

I've been there. And here's something I want you to hear: You can love your stepfamily without loving every minute of being a stepmom.

In this episode, we're talking about those complicated feelings so many stepmoms experience but are afraid to admit out loud. More importantly, we're looking at...

Can you love your stepkids and still grieve the child you may never have? It's one of those complicated feelings that can be incredibly hard to admit, even to yourself.

Infertility as a stepmom brings a unique kind of grief. You're already part of a family, helping raise children, and watching your partner experience parenthood while wondering if you'll ever have a child of your own. And the guilt, resentment, and heartbreak that can come with those feelings? They're not always easy to talk about.

In this episode, Cameron sits down with Jen Powell, founder...

Should a stepmom discipline stepkids? It's one of those questions that sounds simple until you're the one living it.

A lot of stepmoms come in wanting to help, be supportive, and feel like a real part of the family. But when you're expected to parent without the same history, authority, or connection, things can go sideways fast.

In this episode, Cameron sits down with April Eldemire, LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist, couples therapist, blended family expert, and former stepmom with more than 13 years of experience working with couples.

Together, they dig...

What if some of the things you've been told a blended family should look like are actually making things harder?

This episode is a special one pulled straight from our recent Stepmom Summit, where I sat down with three of the leading researchers in the stepfamily field to talk about how to make a blended family work based on what the research actually says, not what Instagram, your neighbor, or the Brady Bunch would have you believe.

Dr. Brad van Eeden-Moorefield is a professor of family science and human development at Montclair State University whose...

High-conflict co-parenting has a way of making it feel like someone who doesn't even live in your house somehow has way too much control over what happens inside it.

The texts, the emails, the constant curveballs, the tension with your partner... it can start to feel like your entire relationship is being shaped around someone else's chaos.

In this episode, I'm talking with Livi North, founder of Unfuck Your Co-Parenting, where she helps parents and stepparents navigate high-conflict co-parenting, parallel parenting, and difficult exes without letting the chaos take over their lives.

In...

Have you ever felt like the harder you try to be a good stepmom, the worse things seem to get?

That was me in my first few years of stepfamily life. I tried to make the kids like me, stepped into authority too quickly, rearranged my entire life around our parenting schedule, and kept wondering why I still felt like I was failing.

What I eventually learned is that I wasn't dealing with a lack of effort. I was trying to navigate a stepfamily using a first-family blueprint.

Once I started digging into...

Have you ever felt like people see you differently the second they find out you're a stepmom?

The wicked stepmother stereotype has been around for centuries, showing up in fairy tales, movies, and cultural stories long before any of us stepped into this role. And even when no one says it out loud, that stereotype can quietly shape how other people see stepmoms and how stepmoms start seeing themselves.

In this episode, Cameron unpacks the shame behind the wicked stepmother stereotype and the pressure so many stepmoms feel to prove they're loving enough, patient enough...

What does your stepchild actually need from you, even if they cannot put it into words?

In this episode of The Stepmom Diaries, Cameron sits down with Robin Breuner, host of Step Stories: Thriving and Surviving Life in Blended Families, to talk about the stepmom and stepchild relationship from a perspective stepmoms do not often get to hear: the adult stepdaughter looking back.

Robin shares what she wishes her own stepmothers had understood, what she now sees differently as an adult, and why giving stepchildren space to maintain their relationship with their biological parent can...

When Bio Mom Doesn't Like You: Dealing With a High Conflict Bio Mom

There are some parts of becoming a stepmom you expect to be complicated.

Your relationship with your partner's ex probably isn't one of them.

But when you're dealing with a high conflict bio mom, suddenly someone outside your marriage can affect your schedule, your relationship with your stepchildren, and sometimes even how peaceful your own home feels.

And if you're someone who is used to being liked? It can be especially hard to understand why this person seems...

Have you ever felt like you have to be helpful enough, easygoing enough, or needed enough to truly earn your place in your stepfamily? Psychotherapist and bestselling author Terri Cole joins Cameron to explore how a father wound in stepmom life can quietly show up as overfunctioning, people pleasing, resentment, and the belief that everyone else's needs should come before your own.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why high achieving, capable women can still carry a deep worthiness wound

How overfunctioning and constantly putting yourself last can become your way of trying to...

The Stepmom Summit is back for its 6th year, and this year we're going Out Loud.

Join Cameron Normand and more than 30 stepfamily and relationship experts, including Patricia Papernow, Terri Cole, Jamie Scrimgeour, and Casey and Meygan Caston of Marriage365, for five days of real conversations, practical support, and answers to the questions stepmoms are actually asking.

The Stepmom Summit is completely FREE, 100% virtual, and 100% LIVE, which means you can join from anywhere and ask the experts your questions in real time.

Find your voice. Take your place. Make no apologies.

...

What happens when you have an ours baby in a blended family and suddenly one child is staying home while their siblings leave for another house?

In this episode of The Stepmom Diaries, Cameron sits down with Morgan Lindahl and Amanda Gonzales, two moms and stepmoms who created a resource specifically for the children in blended families who stay behind when their siblings transition between homes.

Morgan shares how becoming a biological mom changed the way she saw herself as a stepmom and gave her a new perspective on her stepchildren, their mom, and the...

When sex starts feeling like one more thing on the to do list, it is easy to assume something is wrong with your relationship. But often, what is happening in the bedroom has a lot more to do with what is happening outside of it.

In this episode, I sit down with marriage coaches and Marriage365 founders Meygan and Casey Caston for an honest conversation about intimacy in marriage, sex, resentment, mismatched desire, and why couples need to actually talk about the things they would rather avoid.

For stepmoms, this conversation hits especially close to...

Have you ever left therapy feeling heard, but not truly understood?

Maybe you were told to be more patient, create more family togetherness, present a united front, or step up and discipline your stepchildren. You followed the advice, and somehow things got even harder.

That does not mean you failed.

In this episode of The Stepmom Diaries, Cameron explains why therapy for stepfamilies can go sideways when professionals apply advice designed for first families to blended families.

Most therapists are not given meaningful training in stepfamily dynamics during graduate school or...

If you are a stepmom, you know how loud the guilt can get and how quiet you may have learned to be.

But with 14 million stepmoms in America, you have never been as alone as it feels.

The 6th annual Stepmom Summit is back September 14 through 18, 2026, and this year's theme is Out Loud. It is time to find your voice, take your place, and live your life loud and proud.

This free, 100% virtual and 100% live event features more than 30 speakers sharing honest conversations, practical tools, and real support for stepmoms. You will also...

When you became a stepmom, you probably expected your life to change.

What you may not have expected was how easy it would be to lose yourself in the process.

Between navigating stepfamily dynamics, supporting your partner, caring for children, managing schedules, and trying to keep the peace, many stepmoms quietly put their own dreams, interests, and identity on hold.

In this episode, Cameron sits down with former Apple executive, creator of Whole Wellness Mamas, and speaker Amy Nesbitt to explore how curiosity can become one of the most powerful tools for rediscovering...

Finding your stepmom identity can feel overwhelming, especially when you are trying to figure out where you fit in your blended family. Bestselling author Amy Porterfield knows that feeling well. Long before she became one of the world's most recognized business educators, she was learning the same lessons so many stepmoms face today.

In this candid conversation, Amy opens up about the emotional journey of discovering her stepmom identity. She shares what it was like trying to earn her stepson's love, the pressure she felt to be the "perfect" stepmom, and the moment she realized she did...

One day your stepchild is excited to see you and your spouse... and the next they're distant, angry, or refusing visits altogether.

Is it normal family conflict? Is it the stress of divorce? Or could it be parental alienation?

In this episode, Cameron sits down with internationally recognized researcher and author Amy J.L. Baker, PhD, to unpack one of the most misunderstood topics in divorce and blended families. Together, they discuss what parental alienation really is, how it differs from legitimate estrangement, and what parents and stepparents should know if they suspect s...

Are you the one tracking the dentist appointments, school forms, birthday gifts, custody schedules, groceries, and all the details everyone else seems to forget?

That invisible work has a name: the mental load.

In this episode of The Stepmom Diaries, I'm sharing my conversation with Eve Rodsky, New York Times bestselling author of Fair Play and Find Your Unicorn Space. We talk about the mental load in blended families and why so many stepmoms feel exhausted from carrying invisible labor no one else sees.

This conversation is honest, validating, and so needed for...

We've all been there.

Someone makes a comment about being a stepmom that they probably mean well... but it still stings.

"You knew what you were getting into."
"At least you get a break."
"They're not really your kids."

In the moment, it's hard to know what to say. Later, you think of the perfect response.

This listener-favorite replay is packed with practical, gracious ways to respond to some of the most common (and frustrating) comments stepmoms hear—while also helping friends and family better understand the realities of bl...

Have you ever realized that the things that make a family look different on the outside don't change what matters most on the inside?

In this episode, I sit down with Jaimie Kelton and José Rolón to talk about LGBTQ families, parenting, belonging, and the many ways families are built. From infertility and surrogacy to stepfamily dynamics and family acceptance, we explore the challenges and joys of creating a family that may not fit society's traditional expectations.

What stood out most in this conversation is how much LGBTQ families and blended families have in co...

Ever feel like your stepkids are living in two completely different worlds? The rules change from house to house, expectations don't always match, and somehow everyone expects the kids to make sense of it all.

In this episode, I sit down with researcher, professor, stepmom, and former stepchild Bailey Oliver Blackburn, PhD to discuss new research on co-parenting with different values and what happens when children are navigating two households with very different beliefs, expectations, and parenting styles.

Bailey shares insights from a recent study exploring how co-parents manage divergent values, the impact on children...

Ever feel like you're carrying everyone else's responsibilities while somehow still feeling like you're failing? Yeah... you're not alone.

In this episode, I'm chatting with organizational expert and Escaping Quicksand author Lisa Woodruff to talk about why so many overwhelmed stepmoms feel like they're drowning, even when they're doing everything right.

We dive into the invisible load many women carry, the unique challenge of having responsibility without control in a blended family, and practical ways to create more peace, structure, and boundaries in your daily life.

In this episode, we cover:

• Wh...

You've been showing up for everyone else.
These 3 days are for you! 

What it is: The Stepmom Retreat is a three-day retreat being held on the Gulf Coast of Florida in a stunning private waterfront home in Siesta Key. Real coaching built from the ground up for your life. Just 10 stepmoms.

When: November 6th-8th, 2026

Where: Siesta Key, Florida 

👉 Reserve your spot: stepfamilycircle.com/retreat

This is the experience I wished existed when I was in the thick of it. So I built it for you!

"You knew what you signed up for."

If you're a stepmom, chances are you've heard that phrase before. Maybe it's, "At least you get every other week off." Or, "Why do you care so much? They're not your kids." And if you're anything like me, those comments don't just annoy you. They stick with you.

In this episode, I'm unpacking some of the worst things people say to stepmoms, why these comments hurt so much, and how to stop letting other people's opinions define your role in your family. We'll talk about the hidden emotional...

Anybody else look at the summer custody schedule and immediately feel their eye start twitching? 😅

In this episode, we're talking about why summer hits so differently in a blended family and why so many stepmoms head into this season already feeling overwhelmed, resentful, and exhausted before it even begins.

From schedule changes and camp logistics to vacation drama and invisible labor, summer can bring out every existing stress point in stepfamily life. But you are not powerless in it.

In this episode, we cover:

Why summer creates so much stress for ste...

Blending a family is hard. Blending a family with three teenagers? Absolute chaos sometimes. 😅

In this episode, I'm talking with Ashley Noelle, creator of Blended Bond, about the small communication shift that completely changed the way her blended family connected.

Ashley shares what it was really like bringing together two completely different households (a structured mother-daughter home and a loud, sports-heavy boy house) and how trying to make everything "perfect" actually created more pressure for everyone.

This conversation is honest, emotional, and incredibly validating for any stepmom who feels like she's trying so har...

Ever felt like stepmom life isn't what you expected- and no matter how hard you try, you're carrying a weight you can't quite explain? If you've felt resentment, guilt, or even questioned your choices, this episode will hit home.

In this episode, we're joined by Rachel Dunne, licensed counselor, certified stepfamily coach, and founder of Spiritual Stepmom. Rachel shares her personal journey into stepmotherhood and opens up about the stepmom grief no one talks about- the hidden sense of loss, emotional overwhelm, and internal conflict that so many women experience but rarely say out loud. She also...

If Mother's Day feels more painful than joyful as a stepmom… you're not alone.

While everyone else is celebrating, many stepmoms are left feeling unseen, unacknowledged, or unsure where they fit. In this episode, Cameron Normand breaks down why Mother's Day for stepmoms can feel so heavy—and reminds you that it's not because you're doing anything wrong.

More importantly, you'll walk away with a simple, empowering plan to help you navigate the day with more clarity, confidence, and peace.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

Why Mother's Day hits differently in b...

Have you ever felt like you've lost yourself somewhere along the way in stepmotherhood—and no matter how hard you try, you can't quite find your way back? If you've been holding it all together on the outside but feeling overwhelmed, resentful, or invisible on the inside… this episode will hit deep.

In this episode, we're joined by Christina Nelson, host of the Radical Stepmoms Podcast and a leading voice in honest, unfiltered conversations about stepmom life. Together, we dive into the stepmom identity crisis so many women experience, and what it really takes to be a step...

Join us for The Stepmom Soirée on May 6th! It's a free virtual party for stepmoms who deserve to be celebrated, with no fine print. Join us for games, prizes, and help on how to handle the hard conversations that pop up around the holiday. In an hour, you'll leave feeling more grounded, connected, lighter, and with a real plan that sends you into Mother's Day weekend feeling celebrated, not forgotten. ❤️

Do you feel like your stepkids keep pushing you away, no matter how hard you try? In this episode, we're talking about rejection, emotional distance, teenage stepkids, and the painful reality many stepmoms face when connection in blended family life feels one-sided.

I'm joined by Mindy Kyle, Certified Parenting with Purpose and Certified Stepfamily Coach, who has spent more than 16 years helping stepmoms navigate boundaries, burnout, and complicated family dynamics. Together, we unpack what's really happening during the teen years- and why forcing connection often creates even more distance.

Key takeaways from this episode:

Most stepmoms have a will. Almost none of them have a plan.
And in a blended family, that gap can cost your stepkids their inheritance- or even cost you your home.

Tara Yukawa- certified executor advisor, author, and stepdaughter- joins Cameron for a conversation that's equal parts wake-up call and practical roadmap. After navigating loss in her own blended family, Tara now helps others avoid the chaos, confusion, and conflict that happens when planning falls short.

In this episode, she breaks down what actually happens when there's no plan- and how to make sure...

Transition days can be tough in any blended family, but when ADHD is part of the picture, they can feel even more overwhelming. In this episode, ADHD expert and stepmom Jennie Anderson joins the conversation to explain why kids with ADHD often struggle with moving between households and how stepmoms can help create more stability. You'll learn how emotional dysregulation, rejection sensitivity, and loyalty binds show up for these kids, and what you can do to support them without making things worse. If transitions in your stepfamily often feel tense or unpredictable, this episode will give you practical ways...

When kids live in two households, education decisions can get complicated fast! 

In this episode, Houlie Duque, former teacher and founder of Homeschool to Go, shares a fresh perspective on how families can rethink learning when co-parenting is part of the picture. As both a biomom and stepmom raising kids in a blended family, Houlie brings real-life insight into how parents can create flexible education plans that support children across two homes. From navigating co-parenting dynamics to designing learning around a child's strengths, this conversation explores what it really looks like to prioritize a child's growth in a...

What if your stepchild isn't rejecting you… but protecting someone else?

In this episode, I'm sitting down with the incredible Barb Goldberg: coach, author, podcaster, and stepmom to talk about one of the most misunderstood (and painful) dynamics in blended families: the loyalty bind.

If you've ever felt hurt, dismissed, or completely invisible as a stepmom, this conversation is for you. Because when kids feel torn between mom and stepmom, it can show up as distance, attitude, silence, or even outright rejection - and it's easy to take that personally.

But often? It's no...

AI isn't "coming." It's already here - in your kids' phones, in their homework, in their group chats, and maybe even in your marriage.

And most stepmoms have no idea how deeply it's shaping their blended family dynamics.

If you've brushed off AI as a tech trend or something you'll figure out later, this episode may completely shift your perspective. Because the reality is: kids are already using it, adults are turning to it for emotional support, and families are navigating new territory without even realizing it.

In this powerful conversation, I sit...

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