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May 24, 2012 by admin

What made ‘blended’ splendid? “Stepfather of the Year” contest announced.

DATELINE: PLYMOUTH, MA…

25 Ways to go from Stepfather to StepDad author Joe D’Eramo recently announced plans for a “Stepfather of the Year” award to recognize the important role stepdads play in blended families.

In nominating a Stepfather of the Year, D’Eramo is soliciting anecdotes from members of blended families—families with children from previous marriages/relationships. The person submitting the most touching story about that transcendent moment when their blended family became splendid will win dinner for two at Olive Garden.

“Being a stepfather can be a tough gig. As much as the kids might have been excited about Mom getting remarried, living with another adult in the house is an adjustment,” said D’Eramo, stepfather to two. “But there are these events in our lives, good or bad, where we cross that line and become a family. That’s what I want to hear from other blended families as they nominate their stepdads.”

Interested blended family members can enter their stepdad by telling their story on the 25 Ways to go from Stepfather to StepDad Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/mystepdad (you have to like the page first). If you are not on Facebook, you can submit your story in 250 words or less to joe.deramo@facebook.com. Photos are welcome. A winner of a $50 gift certificate to Olive Garden will be selected on June 18 (the Monday after Father’s Day). U.S. residents from all 50 states are welcome. You must submit a valid name and e-mail address to be considered.

“Stepfathers play an important part in the lives of their stepchildren. Yet it can be difficult for children to celebrate Father’s Day with their stepfather for any number of reasons—visitation schedules that require the children to be with the biological father on Father’s Day; guilt over celebrating Father’s Day with someone who is not their biological father,” said D’Eramo. “ “The reason behind this contest is so that I can create a special way to honor these men who do so much for their families.”

According to the website The Bonded Family, almost 2,100 blended families form in the United States every day. Another site, Smart Stepfamilies, states that more than 29 million parents (13 percent) are also stepparents to other children.

A Plymouth, Mass.-resident and step-parent of two, Joe D’Eramo recently published a new e-book, 25 Ways to go from Stepfather to StepDad as a way to offer helpful suggestions for soon-to-be or newly married men who are becoming husbands and fathers for the first time.

25 Ways to go from Stepfather to StepDad sells for $8.95 on Amazon as a Kindle book (Kindle also offers a free app that enables customers to read e-books on their PC) and as an e-book on D’Eramo’s website, www.hiroadcommunications.com. You can read more about the book and tips for stepfathers on the 25 Ways to go from Stepfather to StepDad Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/mystepdad.

Filed Under: Blog, Press releases Tagged With: "stepdad", Joe D'Eramo, Stepfather, Stepfather of the year, stepparenting

May 6, 2012 by admin

Joe D’Eramo article in TodaysParentUSA.com

One of the more gratifying things about publishing 25 Ways to go from StepFather to StepDad has been the number of requests to write articles for parents publications. Here’s an article I recent wrote for a website entitled Today’s Parent USA. The article is called Steps to Stepfather Success.

Filed Under: Client News Coverage Tagged With: "step dad", "stepdad", being a stepdad, being a stepfather, blended family, raising stepchildren

April 20, 2012 by admin

Stepfather doesn’t always know best. Mistakes stepfathers can avoid for a smooth transition to blended family.

Stepfather doesn’t always know best. Mistakes stepfathers can avoid for a smooth transition to blended family.
25 Ways to go from Stepfather to StepDad
Now on sale at Amazon.com. Click on the book cover to read more.

PLYMOUTH, MA…

Blended families have become more and more the norm. With that, many men take on the mantle of “stepfather” merely by saying “I do”—a daunting task if you have your own children, even more so if it means becoming an instant parent. While there’s an initial honeymoon period for blended families, there are traps new stepfathers can avoid to keep the family that is blended, splendid.

“I was 40 when I first got married. I had a pretty close relationship with my six nieces and nephews and got on extremely well with my now wife’s two kids, but getting married was a whole new ballgame,” said Joe D’Eramo, author of 25 Ways to go from Stepfather to StepDad. “What stepfathers have to realize is as big of a transition as this is for them, it’s bigger for the kids. So, you have to tread gently and avoid some common traps.”

According to D’Eramo, stepfathers can make the transition smoother by following a few basic guidelines in their approach. Those include:

  • Get over yourself – It’s human nature for stepfathers to think “I took on the raising of somebody else’s kids” and that some sort of congratulations is in order. Get over yourself. You can’t raise children thinking they owe you a debt of gratitude for marrying their mother.
  • Overcompensating – It’s really not your job to make up for the shortcomings of the biological father and be “Super Dad”. You are a co-parent and have a very important role. Do what you do and don’t worry about what you think your children’s biological father should be doing.
  • Follow your wife’s lead on house rules – There’s enough change when a stepfather moves in. Don’t try to reinvent the rules of the house right away. If the kids go to bed at 8, then they continue to go to bed at 8. Children of divorce have enough difficulty following the rules at two homes if they visit their biological father. Don’t make them learn two sets of rules at home. Think of your wife as the CEO of rules as they apply to the children and you are her closest and trusted advisor.
  • Bad mouthing their father – It should go without saying, but many stepfathers fall into the trap of badmouthing and complaining about the biological father in front of the kids. Just don’t do it. While more than a few fathers drop the ball, you only tarnish how they view you by saying bad things about their father.
  • Do not allow the children to disrespect their father – Conversely, it’s not uncommon for your stepchildren to want to vent about their father. You can let them up to a certain degree. If it becomes disrespectful, jump in and put a stop to it. Again, they may be justified in their complaints but you still want your children to respect all grownups. Let them vent until it crosses a line.
  • Be a parent not a pal – Perhaps the biggest mistake a stepfather can make is trying to be a buddy instead of a parent. Letting them stay up late, playing video games, letting them eat junk food and other things of that ilk may earn you a pall for the night. It won’t help when you’re trying to get them to take out the trash or do their homework. Children of divorce may not like it, but they crave structure. That’s something a parent does, not a buddy. Remember, they won’t say it, but they are counting on you for that structure.

Plymouth, Mass.-resident and step-parent of two Joe D’Eramo recently published a new e-book, 25 Ways to go from Stepfather to StepDad, to offers some helpful suggestions for soon-to-be or newly married men who are becoming husbands and fathers for the first time.

“When it comes to parenting, there really are no experts and all we have to go on is our experiences,” said D’Eramo, “What stepfathers need to remember that you, your wife and your stepchildren are all in this thing together. None of you have done it before. So don’t be afraid to talk as a family and ask for help. It’s amazing how many of those conversations have kept situations from escalating and further developed the relationships in the family.”

25 Ways to go from Stepfather to StepDad sells for $9.95 on Amazon as a Kindle book (Kindle also offers a free app that enables customers to read e-books on their PC). You can read more about the book and tips for stepfathers on the 25 Ways to go from Stepfather to StepDad Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/mystepdad.

About HiRoad Communications:

Based in Plymouth, Massachusetts, HiRoad Communications is owned by freelance copywriter Joe D’Eramo. HiRoad generates copy for web content, marketing communications materials, PR pieces, articles, blogs, social media sites and more. For more information, visit www.hiroadcommunications.com or call 617-848-0848.

Filed Under: Press releases Tagged With: blended families, blending families, raising stepchildren, step children, stepchildren

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