Juggling the holidays with the step-kids, the other parents family, and trying not to top the other parent.

   Anyone who knew me before I married into my blended family, knew I was not the most organize person, and I'm not all the organized now.  That's changed a lot in the last 7 years I've been with my husband.  I went from a carefree lifestyle, only having to worry about where my parents wanted me and when for the holidays to juggling my schedule, husbands schedule, their mom's schedule, and their step-dad's schedule.

I've said it once and I'll say it again. I'm extremely lucky to be able to work with the boys mom as easily as we do.  For example, parent teacher conferences were this week.  We took the boys while she went.  I know we would've loved to be there with the teachers, but I had to work late, so did her husband, and so my husband went and got the kids and stayed with them that night.

However it's the holidays.  Which cause all types of drama in and of themselves, and why not throw everyone wanting to spend time with the kids while we are at it?

I love my mom, and she is a wonderful, caring and devoted person.  She also insists, that my family does Christmas on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  When my husband and I first got together, I wanted to strangle her, because there have been years where the boys didn't get to see my parents tree, or see my parents for Christmas because it just didn't work out with what we had worked out with the boys mom.

In situations like these EVERYONE needs to be flexible. Christmas is just a day, like any other, if you really think about it.  The point of Christmas is time together with your family, sharing and giving gifts and having a good time.  So what if it's on December 18th instead of the 25th? The point is for everyone to be together and share in the love.

Every year just around Halloween/beginning of November we sit down and figure out the holidays and who has the kids where and when.  It's a struggle, but we do it for the boys so that they can have the best of both worlds.

This time of year is extremely stressful for everyone, Psychology Today states that in 2011 step-families out number traditional families, and parents, step-parents, and even older step kids feel it acutely because of the blended families.

Please just relax!!  Work with the other parents, don't think YOU have to get them that certain present because you want to see like the cooler parent in the kids eyes.  We usually work with the boys mom so that they can get everything they want. Last year, she got them the wii U.. we got them tablets. The kids were ecstatic all around and they loved it.  They have traditions with us, and they have traditions with them. Believe it or not, the kids can tell when you're trying to compete.  Just be yourself and try not to pull your hair out.