Chicago Tribune

We spoke to stepmoms ahead of Mother's Day: Here's what they want you to know

Stepparenting, like tightrope walking, is a tough act to ace. The stakes are high, the perils great, and slips can bring a world of pain.

On Mother's Day, women the globe over are recognized for their child-rearing efforts. But stepmothers are rarely acknowledged - on the holiday or otherwise. The challenges, stepmothers and experts say, can range from thorny relationships with original moms to pushback from kids and a lack of reciprocal affection, not to mention legal rights.

Families, like bodies, take on many shapes, and stepfamilies aren't uncommon. About 6 in 10 women who remarry are in blended families, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics.

"And that's

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