The Nacho Kids Podcast: Blended Family Lifesaver

*** DISCLAIMER: Episode includes discussion of suicide attempts and threats *** In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews a childless stepmom in Detroit. This stepmom has been blending for 2-½ years and has three stepkids ages 19, 13, and 11. Amongst the three stepkids, one attempted suicide, and two have threatened to. In this episode, we discuss: Parental Alienation The bio parents not getting along When the dynamics change Helping the other bio parent not feel threatened Transition days between homes

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews blended couple, Jessica and Mark! They have been blending for 4-½ years. Mark has three daughters ages 20, 18, and 16, and together they have a two-year-old son. Jessica was an "ours" child in her blend and thought that experience would make their blend a little "easier". That wasn't the case. In this episode, we discuss: Adding an "ours" kid to the blend Lowering expectations The grieving process of blending Co-parenting with the ex The stepparent telling the bio parent how to parent

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews a stepmom with three stepkids and one bio kid. The stepkids' bio mom is absent the majority of the time but does resurface occasionally. Stepmom has been blending for seven years. When bio mom resurfaces, it only causes issues in the blend. In this episode, we discuss: Being a full-time stepmom with an absent bio mom It's not about you Knowing when to step back Food issues in the blend Being a teacher and Nachoing

*** Trigger warning: Postpartum depression is discussed in this episode *** In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews a Canadian stepmom who has been blending for 2-½ years with three stepkids and one ours baby. Prior to dating her significant other, she told him if he didn't want two more kids, that was a deal-breaker for her. He agreed; however, after them having one child together he seems to not want another. In this episode, we discuss: Moving away from friends and family Dealing with a high conflict bio mom Significant other changing their mind about more kids Finances Postpartum Depression

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Debora. Debora, who moved to the US from Brazil, has been blending for 16 months and is a stepmom to three stepkids and a mom to two bio kids. In the beginning, the kids got along great! In this episode, we discuss: Not having enough bedrooms for each kid to have their own Having a significant other who is a control freak Having a good relationship with bio mom Stepkid's extracurricular activities Significant other having PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Silvia. Silvia has been blending for about a year and a half. She has two stepkids from different bio moms and one bio kid. The hardest part of blending for her is the differences in parenting. The best advice she's received about blending is to Nacho! In this episode, we discuss: Having a special needs child Differences in parenting Messy stepkids Guilty Parent Syndrome Nachoing putting more responsibility on the bio parent

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, co-founders of Nacho Kids, interview stepmom Kari. Kari and her husband both lost their spouses from previous marriages. Kari has five bio kids and her husband, Andy, has 4 bio kids! Yep, NINE kids total between them!! In this episode, we discuss: Being a widow and remarrying Having mom eyes without the voice Nachoing homework & chores Never having a "break" Moving into an existing home

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Amy. Amy has been blending for nine years. She is a childless stepmom with two adult stepkids. Amy Nachos her stepkids but her significant other won't Nacho her dogs, which of course are like her kids! In this episode, we discuss: Being a childless stepmom Boundaries and expectations Losing a parent at a young age Having a rocky relationship with a stepparent Stepfamily trips/vacations

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview Tracy Poizner of the Essential Stepmom. Tracy is a mom and a stepmom. She helps parents and children improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. As a parenting strategist, she teaches divorced dads how to raise children to become prosperous adults despite high conflict custody or limited visitation. In this episode, we discuss: Parenting Paralysis Discipline Modeling the values you want your kids and stepkids to have Guilty Parent Syndrome

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews a childless stepmom to three stepdaughters. One of her stepdaughters is not biologically her husband's child. This stepmom has been blending for three and a half years and struggles with a high conflict bi-polar bio mom. In this episode, we discuss: Dealing with a high conflict bi-polar bio mom Telling your significant other about the Nacho Kids method Nachoing what causes you stress House rules Nachoing bio mom

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Morgan! Morgan has been blending for five years, married two of those years, has two teenage twin stepdaughters, and two teenage bio sons! She also has a seven-year-old daughter, whom her husband is adopting. The bio father to her seven-year-old daughter was fighting her for custody while he was in the work release program in jail! In this episode, we discuss: The family court system Nachoing one stepchild differently, or more, than another Significant other wanting to adopt one of the bio children Attending functions with the ex When bio mom has no rules

*** Disclaimer: This episode may not be suitable for children *** In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews Lisa, a stepmum from the UK! Lisa has been blending for about three years. She is a bio mom to adult bio kids and has a five-year-old stepdaughter. Her husband expects her to be "mom" to her stepdaughter and this is causing a lot of problems. Lisa, like many stepmoms, uses Facebook groups to talk about her stepmum struggles. Unfortunately, someone anonymously sent screenshots of her Facebook posts to child services and now Lisa is under investigation. In this episode, we discuss: When your significant other wants you to "replace" the bio mom Dealing with a high conflict bio mom Bio mom not getting her kid on her scheduled time Facebook - not a "safe" place Boundaries

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview David's oldest son, Avery. David always felt Avery was impacted the most, out of all his kids, by his divorce from their mom. When Avery was a teenager, Lori had the fear a lot of stepparents have about their stepkids. The fear of the stepkids never moving out! Avery proved Lori's fears to be wrong when he joined the Air Force! Avery is now married to a lovely young lady and is doing awesome! He is an outstanding young man that David and Lori are very proud of! In this episode, we discuss: The kid's viewpoint of divorce Bouncing back and forth between homes Blended family expectations Blended family realities Lori Nachoing

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Karen. Karen has been blending for five years and has a seven-year-old stepson. She Nachos stepson's bio mom and due to stepson's behavior recently taking a turn for the worse, Karen has had to step back a good bit in her stepmother role and start Nachoing her stepson. In this episode, we discuss: Feeling like you gave your life up for the blend Learning your place in the blend Stepparent role is ever-evolving and changing Nachoing the bio mom Thinking about adding an "ours" kid to the blend

*** Disclaimer: This episode contains discussions of inappropriate sexual behavior between a bio kid and a stepkid. *** In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Jane. Jane has been blending for five years and has three stepkids and three bio kids. Jane admits to being a high-conflict bio mom in the past and feels it hurt her kids' relationships with their dad and stepmom. Jane is currently struggling with the fallout of her bio son and stepdaughter engaging in inappropriate sexual behavior. In this episode, we discuss: Being a high conflict bio mom Dealing with an overstepping bio mom Not being first Pushing relationships in the blend Dealing with inappropriate sexual behavior with bio and stepkid

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview Elise Buie ~ Family Law Attorney in Washington state. She is a mom to four and a stepmom to two. Elise says her kids are very different than her husband's kids because her husband's kids were raised by military parents and are very disciplined, and let's just say her's aren't as disciplined. In this episode, we discuss: Family court system issues Differences between how bio kids and stepkids were raised Food fights Post-divorce issues How to co-parent like CEOs

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, continues her interview with the Yankee Stepmom. Blending for 4-½ years, having four stepkids and two bio kids - one of which is adopted, the Yankee Stepmom and Lori discuss Mini-Wife Syndrome! In this episode, we discuss: Mini-wife making you feel like the other woman Mini-wife parenting other kids Daddy's girl vs mini-wife syndrome Does bio dad discourage or encourage the mini-wife behavior Touching between mini-wife and bio dad

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews the Yankee Stepmom. The Yankee Stepmom has been blending for 4-½ years, has four stepkids and two bio kids - one of which is adopted. She learned to Nacho and wishes her husband would do the same. Unfortunately, her husband not nachoing her bio kids has caused a lot of stress in the home and she is thinking it may be best for her adopted son to go live with his bio dad for a year - 14 hours away. In this episode, we discuss: Moving into the house the significant other shared with the ex Bio mom overstepping When your significant other won't Nacho Considering letting your bio child go live with the other bio parent Being put on antidepressants after becoming a stepmom

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Holly. Holly and her significant other have been blending for eight years. Holly has a stepdaughter who is 13, a bio daughter who is 10, and two "ours" daughters ages 7 and 1. She and her stepdaughter started getting close which upset the bio mom. When stepdaughter was about 10, she and Holly started having issues, so Holly and her husband went to marriage counseling. The counselor told Holly she needed to back off. In this episode, we discuss: Being a stepkid Relationships between "ours" kids and stepkid When stepkid is an only child at the other home Letting the bio parent handle the discipline Being told you need to step back

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview stepmom Kaila. Kaila and her significant other have been blending for about a year. She has a stepson that is 7 years old and a stepdaughter that is 3 years old. Part of the custody agreement between Kaila's significant other and the bio mom was that bio mom would meet Kaila before she met the kids and Kaila had to wait four months before meeting the kids. In this episode, we discuss: Not knowing anything about stepfamilies Realizing you are not their mom Being/feeling second Wanting a child of your own Nachoing

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview blended couple Crystal & Mike. Crystal has no children of her own, and Mike has two kids - a son who is 15 years old and a daughter who is 13 years old. They have been blending for 3 years and have the kids fifty percent of the time. Crystal's hardest part of blending was feeling like she didn't belong in the pre-made family. In this episode, we discuss: Being a stepkid Living close to the bio mom Disney Dad Coming into a ready-made family

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Kayala. Kayala has been blending for three years and has two stepkids - one of which is neurodivergent, two bio kids, and an ours kid. Kayala grew up in a blended family where her dad was kind of pushed out of the picture. She has a good relationship with her stepkids now, but it wasn't always that way. In this episode, we discuss: Being a stepkid Dealing with a high conflict bio mom Gentle parenting Not being one family

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews Mary Lynn Bradshaw of The Suburban Urban Mom YouTube channel. When Lori ran across Mary Lynn talking about Nachoing on her channel she thought she was going to hear someone talk about how Nachoing is so bad or wrong information about Nachoing. Surprisingly, Mary Lynn "got it". Lori was shocked! She had to reach out to Mary Lynn and ask her to be a guest! Mary Lynn has been blending for 7 years and is a full-time stepmom. She has one teenage stepdaughter, a teenage bio son, and a 4-year-old ours child. Nacho was a turning point for Mary Lynn and her stepdaughter. In this episode, we discuss: Being a full-time stepmom Nachoing and the Nacho Kids method When your significant other still has a relationship with bio mom's family Gratitude journals Having an ours baby

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews Aimee & John who have been blending for almost eight years. Aimee has an 11-year-old son, John has a 9-year-old daughter, and they have a 1-½-year-old son together. From the beginning of their marriage and for years they tried to force a nuclear family out of the blend and felt rejected when it backfired. They found the Nacho Kids method and decided to give it a try! In this episode, we discuss: Trying to force the blend Parental alienation The family court system and court orders Coordinating schedules with the kids The Nacho Kids method works

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, continues their "Month Of Men" with an interview with Jonnie Jensen of Team Super Dad! Jonnie became a stepchild after his mom passed away when Jonnie was 9-years-old and his dad remarried. Jonnie's stepmom didn't come into the blend trying to shape or overly mother him and his brother, she just joined the ride. Of course, some thought it was wrong of her not to try to take over the motherly role since the bio mom had passed away. When Jonnie grew up and got married, he married a lady with a 6-year-old son. The hardest part of being a stepdad for Jonnie was having to be the primary parent when his wife was ill. Jonnie and his wife had two beautiful children before they decided to separate. After several years in the court system, Jonnie finally was able to get 50/50 with his biological kids. Jonnie and his stepson do not have much of a relationship as the stepson felt after Jonnie and his mom split up that it would hurt his mom if he continued to have a relationship with Jonnie. Jonnie started Team Super Dad to help fathers, and those in fatherly roles, discover their true powers and create an epic life. In this episode, we discuss: Being a stepkid after losing your mother Being a stepdad Don't shout, hug it out! Parallel parenting Team Super Dad

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, continues their "Month Of Men" with an interview with Matt Larson of The Human Improvement Project! Matt has a great desire to help children. He worked with the federal government to help get the Adam Walsh Child Protection Act bill passed and more recently helped create the "Happy Child" parenting app! Although Matt is not a stepparent, his advice can be applied to the blend, especially when the Nacho stepparent starts the re-engagement process. And of course, we know many stepparents are also bio parents and can benefit from this interview and his "Happy Child" app. Join us as Matt talks to us about improving our long term well being. In this episode, we discuss: The Human Improvement Project Improving your long term well being Happiness and unhappiness chemicals in our body The 20-second hug Building deep bonds

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, continue their "Month Of Men" with an interview with Joel Hawbaker of the 10 CBF Blended Families Podcast. Joel is the bio dad of two beautiful teenage girls who he adores. Joel isn't a stepdad, but he is a stepkid and gives us a great view on being a stepkid of military parents. He lived with his mom full time and went to his dad's every other weekend. Until Joel could drive, his dad still came by and took him and his siblings to school in the mornings because of his mom's work schedule. Joel, like many parents - I'd even venture to say ALL parents- has had a few struggles in parenting and building healthy relationships with his kids. Joel is blessed to have his awesome wife of a little over six years by his side. She has a good relationship with the stepkids and is an amazing stepmom! We hope to interview his lovely wife in the future! In this episode, we discuss: Being a stepkid Differences in the blend When the bio kids want to live with the other parent Co-parenting The Mason jar idea

*** DISCLAIMER: This episode discusses potential child support arrearages and may be sensitive to some. *** In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews bio dad Jordan in Nacho Kids' "Month Of Men"! Jordan is from Ontario, Canada, and has been blending for three years. He has a daughter from a previous relationship and an "ours kid" with his girlfriend. In the interview, Lori gets a bit wound up with the subject of the family court system. As Jordan shares his experience with Canada's family court system, it becomes clear the family court system needs an overhaul in more places than just the US. Part of Jordan's family court situation includes his ex taking him back to court for back child support. We understand this can be a sensitive topic for many. In this episode, we discuss: The family court system Child support arrears Not loving the stepkid as your own Dealing with a high conflict bio mom Being denied extra visitation time with, or more access to, your child

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews a stepdad! Michael, who was adopted, became a widower and later became a stepdad. Michael and his wife have been blending for three years. He has three bio kids, one of which is still living at home, and one stepson that lives with them full-time. Like so many stepfamilies, things were ok before the marriage and the first year, then things went south. One of his kids just wanted things back the way they were before Michael got remarried and threatened to leave if Michael didn't leave his new wife. Michael did not cave into his son's demands and explained to him that was not an option. One day his wife told him she wanted to Nacho one of the stepkids and when she started Nachoing, he saw improvements. Michael and his wife have decided they want to have blended family small groups to help other blended families succeed in the blend! In this episode, we discuss: Unrealistic expectations Being a widower and stepmom feeling like she's competing with a ghost Stepkids threatening to leave Guilty parent syndrome How Nachoing helped their blend

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview one of David's triplets, Ethan. Ethan talks about how things were before and after Lori started Nachoing. They reminisce about the bad and good times. Lori is very proud of Ethan and the young man he has become, and no, she didn't think he would turn out so awesome! Ethan shares some tips for stepkids and stepparents too. In this episode, we discuss: Stepkid's view before and after Nachoing The good, the bad, and the really ugly Blending between the kids How bio dad helped build the relationship with the stepmom and stepkids Advice to stepkids and stepmoms from a stepkid

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Mallory. Mallory has been blending for 3-½ years. She has three stepkids that are with her and her husband fifty percent of the time. Currently, they have no "ours" kids but are hoping to change that soon! Their hardest part of blending is the high conflict bio mom. Mallory feels bio mom is intrusive during their visitation time. In this episode, we discuss: Being a childless stepmom and wanting kids of your own Stepkids calling stepmom "Mom" Nachoing when needed Bio mom overstepping Bio mom keeping the stepkids from her own bio mom

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Kelli. Kelli has been blending for 5-½ years and has two stepkids, two bio kids, and one ours kid. She and her husband have an interesting dynamic with their blend. The stepdaughter lives with bio dad's stepmom and sees bio dad one night a week outside of the home. Recently stepson, who has visitation every other week with his bio dad, has been staying with bio dad at bio dad's mother's house during his visitation time with bio dad. The weeks stepson is back with his bio mom, bio dad goes back home to Megan. In this episode, we discuss: Negative impact of changing from every other weekend to 50/50 visitation Sibling promotion of parental alienation Bio parent's fear of losing their kids Stepparent being responsible for distance learning with stepkid Refusing to give up

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori & David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview Megan Bottom with Broken2Blessed. Megan has been blending for 10 years and has three bio kids and three stepkids. As Megan and her now-husband were moving her and Megan's kids to Texas, Megan found out the court did not rule in her favor to take the kids with her to Texas. She left her bio kids with their dad in Nevada and moved to Texas. In hindsight, Megan realizes it was best for her kids to stay with their dad. As a stepmom, Megan, like many stepmoms, made a lot of mistakes with the stepkids over the years. One day, while watching television while she was unemployed, Megan saw an ad on television for Liberty University and decided to become a Christian Counselor and went on to get her Masters in Pastoral Counseling. In this episode, we discuss: Moving away from your bio kids Co-parenting with your significant other's ex Stepmom mistakes Picking your battles Mini-wife syndrome

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Jasmine! Jasmine has been blending for three years and is a full-time stepmom to five stepkids! Yes, five! She also has one bio daughter and an "ours" son. Jasmine admits that she herself has been high conflict in the past. Being a stepkid herself, Jasmine tries to see things from the stepkids' perspectives, and also from the bio mom's perspective. As we know blending isn't easy and it hasn't been unicorns and rainbows for Jasmine either. After having a "come to Jesus" meeting with her significant other, they agreed she'd Nacho his teenage son's and let him parent them, and she'd parent the girls, including stepdaughter, and of course the "ours" baby. In this episode, we discuss: Being close in age to your oldest stepkid Being a high conflict stepmom Trying to understand bio moms absence Looking at things from the stepkids' perspectives Being a stepkid that only saw her bio mom during the summer

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Nicole! Nicole has been blending for four years, has twin stepsons, three bio kids, and one "ours" kid. This is Nicole's second blend. The first one was "easy peasy", so of course Nicole thought she knew what she was getting into. Boy, was she wrong! Unlike the bio mom in her first blend, the bio mom in her second blend is very high conflict! Before she knew it, Nicole became so angry and resentful. Thankfully she found the Nacho Kids method and it saved her sanity and totally changed her life! In this episode, we discuss: Differences in blends Parental Alienation Caring more than the bio parent Nachoing is life-changing Expectations of stepkids

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Courtney! She has been blending for 13 years and has one stepdaughter and one bio daughter. Courtney tried to be cordial to the bio mom and helped her out several times, only to have bio mom cross the line. Needless to say, Courtney no longer cares about being nice to bio mom. In a twist of events, her stepdaughter who used to come for visitation every other weekend was placed in full-time emergency custody of Courtney's husband earlier this year. This change definitely has created some challenges in their blend, but thankfully Nacho has been their blended family lifesaver! In this episode, we discuss: Unexpected visitation changes Two-faced bio mom Parental alienation Bio mom coming to the home for pickups/dropoffs Toxic relationship between stepkid and bio mom

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview stepmom Kayla! Kayla, a childless stepmom, has been blending for 14 months and has three teenage stepdaughters! Being a high-school teacher, Kayla thought "she knew what she was getting into"! Considering she was around teenagers all day, she'd have no issues being a stepmom to three teenage girls fairly easily. Let's just say, she was proven wrong. Being a full-time stepmom has been a bit of a challenge. Kayla recently decided to get help with her blend and join the Nacho Kids Academy! She's already seeing positive changes in her blend in a short time. In this episode, we discuss: Knowing what you are getting into Being a full-time childless stepmom Nacho finally "clicking" Identifying triggers/stressors Setting boundaries Feeling guilty about Nachoing

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Hannah! Hannah and her husband have been blending for six years and live in Dubai. Her stepson and stepdaughter live in Australia. Until recently, they would get the stepkids for two weeks every quarter and a month at Christmas. Due to the stress of her blend, Hannah sought help. She got a therapist, joined the Nacho Kids Academy, learned to Nacho and it has changed her life! In this episode, we discuss: Being an overinvolved stepmom Thoughts of giving up Nachoing and it's benefits The importance of boundaries How to handle bio mom's lies Parential Alienation

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews Heidi Farrell, founder of Not Just A Stepmom. Heidi has been blending 10 years. She has two stepkids and three "ours" kids. Not long after they married, her husband got full custody of his kids, making Heidi a full-time stepmom. Heidi shares a funny story about them telling her stepkids that she was pregnant. And how they messed this up two out of the three times! In this episode, we discuss: Being a full-time stepmom Telling the stepkids you are pregnant Not seeing disrespect the same way Importance of setting boundaries Nachoing the things that cause you stress

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview stepmom Diane. Diane is a people pleaser and struggles with setting boundaries. Like this stepmom, oftentimes people feel as if they are being a bad person, rude, mean, or disrespectful, and then they feel guilty for setting boundaries. However, Diane was forced to set boundaries with her oldest of four stepdaughters due to the stepdaughter's behavior. It's still not easy and Diane struggles with guilt for setting the boundaries. In this episode, we discuss: Dealing with the bio mom because your significant other doesn't want to Being a people pleaser and struggling with boundaries Dealing with a stepkid that lies, steals, and manipulates Issues from not having a set schedule with the stepkids Having healthy boundaries

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview Craig and Gina Morgan. Craig and Gina are the founders of Blended Together Forever ~ Making The Family Whole Again. They have been blending for 24 years! Craig entered the blend with one son and one daughter, while Gina came into the blend with four boys, and they have one son together. Their blend was not easy, but they made it! They are sharing their story with other blended families in hopes to help their blends stay blended together forever! In this episode, we discuss: When the bio kids want to live with the other parent Developmental grief Blended challenges don't end when the kids turn 18 Healthy expectations Just letting things happen

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview stepmom Noel. Noel has been blending for three years. She has three bio children and four stepchildren. Noel, like many stepmoms, came in and stepped into the "Mom" role. Also like many stepmoms, she was struggling hard in the blend and had a mental breakdown. She had given up hope. She signed up for the Nacho Kids Academy as a last-ditch effort to save their marriage and you won't believe what happened! In this episode, we discuss: Unrealistic expectations Struggling to stand up for your bio kids Realizing it's not a stepkid problem, but a bio parent problem Guilty Parent Syndrome What joining the Nacho Kids Academy did for their marriage/blend

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview Dorcy Pruter, founder of Conscious Co-parenting Institute. Dorcy experienced parental alienation firsthand with her own father being alienated from her and by seeing her husband being alienated by his kids. Her personal experience and training have allowed her to help others who are suffering from parental alienation. Through reunification coaching and co-parenting education, Dorcy provides strategies and solutions for parents and children to reconnect, or stay connected, during and after a high-conflict divorce. The primary focus of Dorcy's work at the Conscious Co-Parenting Institute is high-conflict custody disputes involving "Parental Alienation." Her goal is to help establish custody plans and co-parenting roles that encourage positive relationships between children and BOTH parents. In this episode, we discuss: Parental Alienation Triggered emotions Bio parent telling the kid lies about the other bio parent Stepparent and control No Response Needed

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview stepmom Michelle. Michelle and her husband have been blending for five years. Michelle has three biological daughters and her husband has three biological sons and one biological daughter. Her bio kids and her stepkids attend the same school, which adds some unique challenges. Michelle and her husband were on the verge of divorce and met with a counselor. The counselor's lack of blended family knowledge resulted in them not getting the help they needed. They went through several counselors before Michelle joined the Nacho Kids Academy. Through her work in the Academy, she has made great progress! In this episode, we discuss: Dealing with a high conflict bio dad Finding the right help for your blend Brady Bunch dreams Comparing your home to the other home Vacations with the stepkids and bio kids The Nacho Kids Academy

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Courtney, who listened to the Nacho Kids podcast and was offended! Courtney, a stepkid herself, has been blending three years and has four stepkids, with two different bio moms. One of the bio moms has really put Courtney and her husband through the wringer and they didn't have any recourse because of the court order's wording. In this episode, we discuss: Dealing with a high conflict bio parent Court orders and grey areas When the other bio parent is single When the bio parent works out of town a lot A stepkid being born after the blend starts

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews stepmom Peggy. Peggy is in her second blend. Yep, she decided to do it again! She has two stepkids in her current blend and two bio kids. Peggy has experienced some unique challenges in her blend related to parental alienation with the stepkids and also the death of her bio kids' father last year. Through her challenges, Peggy has learned so much and learned what does and doesn't work for her blend. In this episode, we discuss: Differences in blends Stepkids interacting with bio kids Guilty Parent Syndrome Meeting the "King of Nerds" and dealing with his "Joker" ex-wife Leaving discipline to the bio parent

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview Karalee Katsambanis - author of "Stepparenting With Purpose: Everything you wanted to know but were too afraid to ask". Karalee has been blending 15 years, has two stepkids, and three "ours" kids. She is Australian so you know Lori had a fit over Karalee's accent! In this episode, we discuss: Never meeting the bio mum Being the first "stepmum" amongst your friends Not all counselors understand stepparenting Mother's Day Focusing more on the stepkids instead of your own kids

*** DISCLAIMER *** Trigger Warning - Inappropriate Sexual Behavior In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori and David, founders of Nacho Kids, interview an anonymous stepmom from Florida. This stepmom has been blending for five years, has one stepson and two bio sons. About six weeks after they were married, something unthinkable happened. Her stepson was sexually inappropriate with her bio son. Of course, this is something no one is ever prepared to have to deal with, nor do they expect to have to deal with, but she agreed to share her story with us in hopes of helping someone that may be going through something similar. In this episode, we discuss: Inappropriate behavior between step-siblings The shame and embarrassment The importance of open communication Seeing things from a different perspective The long-lasting effects

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews childless stepmom, Dani. Dani has been blending for six years and has three stepkids, ages 20,18, and 15. She has no children of her own. In the beginning, the stepkids were with them every other weekend, then that changed to every other week. Like most blended families, things changed when Dani and her husband got married. Also like most blended families, she didn't research blended families prior to blending because she didn't see the need. Needless to say, the need arose. She came across the Nacho Kids podcast and something resonated with her. She started Nachoing, and it did her good! In this episode, we discuss: When the visitation with the stepkids increase Why getting married changes things Stepmom needing control Feeling defeated Letting blended issues consume your life

In this episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori, co-founder of Nacho Kids, interviews a Nacho Stepmom from Washington State who shares with us her biggest stepmom regret! This stepmom has been blending about four years, she has an 11-year-old stepson, a 9-year-old stepdaughter, a 4-year-old bio daughter, 7-year-old bio son, and a 7-year-old bio daughter. Yep, twins! Like many stepmoms, she was struggling in the "blend". We'll just say a high-conflict bio mom didn't make things any easier for her. She started looking for help and found the Nacho Kids method. Once she started implementing what she learned, things got better instantly! In this episode, we discuss: Dealing with a high conflict bio mom Struggling to adjust to the blend Nachoing helped Dinner time issues What she's learned