101. What Stepkids Think About Their Stepparents - And Why It Matters

Ever Wondered What Your Stepchildren Think About You?

Kids can be tricky for stepparents to navigate. Their behavior isn't rational, they don't know how to express their emotions, and sometimes they can take out their frustration on the person who can be the easiest target: stepmom.

But there's more to the story, and that's what we're talking about in this episode. We've got one of the top stepfamily researchers with us, and he's recently released a new look at the stepfamily dynamic - from the kids' perspectives. 

He's got some really interesting, insightful, and surprising, findings that stepmoms should definitely pay attention to.  

About Dr. Todd Jensen:

Todd Jensen, PhD, MSW is an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Science and Director of the Thriving Through Family Transitions Research Lab in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Much of his research focuses on identifying factors that promote high-quality stepparent-child relationships, particularly those involving adolescent children.

Dr. Jensen’s professional activities are connected to more than 34 million dollars in funding, including support from the National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, The Duke Endowment, the William T. Grant Foundation, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Jensen is a Faculty Fellow of the Carolina Population Center, a Fellow of the Society for Social Work and Research, Deputy Editor for the Journal of Family Theory & Review, and co-founder and co-chair of the Diverse Family Structures Focus Group of the National Council on Family Relations. As an educator, Dr. Jensen specializes in teaching courses on family theory and practice, human development, program evaluation, and advanced quantitative methodology.

You can find Todd Jensen:

On Instagram HERE 

On his website, toddjensen.com, where you can also find links to many of his journal articles

Have You Ever Thought About Coaching?

On Wednesday, May 7th, I'm hosting a masterclass: The 5-Step Framework To Becoming A Stepfamily Coach (even if you've never coached before. 

This FREE class is for you if you’ve ever thought about turning your stepfamily experience into a meaningful career or side hustle - but you’re unsure where to start, how to get clients, or if you’re even “qualified.” Here's what you'll learn:

✅ How I turned my own stepfamily challenges into a career that fuels me daily
✅ What you really need (hint: not a counseling degree or a “perfect family”)
✅ The biggest myths that hold amazing women back from making a real impact

Are you enjoying The Stepmom Diaries?

If so, please consider rating and reviewing the show. It will help me reach more stepmoms just like you so they can get MORE out of stepmom life! It’s super easy – all you have to do is click HERE and scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “write a review.” Then just let me know what you like best!

And the best part about leaving a review? If you send me a screenshot of your review, I’ll send YOU my 20-minute Stepmom Self-Care Blueprint. For FREE. It’s normally $49 and it’s a great tool to quickly set up a self-care plan you’ll actually use. Just head HERE to send me your screenshot an