When Mum Comes Back: Why Is My Stepson Changing Towards Me?
This week on Blended, Kate Ferdinand is joined by co-hosts Cilla and Nathalie to tackle a dilemma that cuts to the heart of step-parenting. A listener writes in about her stepson, who she’s helped raise for almost a decade after his biological mum wasn’t around. For years, she’s been the one doing the school runs, bedtime routines, and being “mum” in every way that mattered.But now his biological mum has reappeared and everything has shifted. Her stepson’s behaviour has changed, and suddenly the stepmum feels like she’s being pushed out of a role she’s built her life around.The ladies explore the painful truth many stepparents face: the sense that, no matter how much love and care you give, you can still be sidelined when a biological parent decides to step back in. They discuss the emotions at play from a mum’s possible shame for not being there, to a child’s natural pull towards wanting that maternal bond, to the stepmum’s fear of being discarded after years of sacrifice.Kate and Nathalie debate whether the stepmum should hold firm in her place as the one who’s raised him, or whether blended families sometimes have to weather these painful shifts. They also talk about how to stop resentment building, the importance of reassurance for both the child and the step-parent, and why blended families need to be ready for these moments of sudden change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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40:27
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40:27
Joel Beya: He Won’t Let Me Meet the Ex — Is It a Red Flag?
This week on Blended, Kate Ferdinand is joined by Nathalie and special guest co-host Joel Beya — presenter, founder of Cheeky Sport, and dad — who brings a raw and honest male perspective to the table. Together, they tackle a dilemma from a woman whose partner won’t let her meet his ex. She’s asked, he keeps avoiding it, and now she’s starting to get suspicious.Is this a massive red flag, or just a man not ready to blend the past with the present? Joel is brutally honest about why some men hold back, admitting he’s hurt people in the past simply because he wasn’t ready or serious. Kate says she’d want to meet the ex and build a relationship for the children’s sake but Joel pushes back, arguing it’s not always that simple.The trio debate Is it about protecting boundaries, or avoiding responsibility? and the ladies discuss why women can't settle for mixed signals instead of acting like the prize. Just when things heat up, Joel drops his belief that there’s no such thing as “one true love” — and that doesn’t sit well with Kate or Nathalie.Follow @blended on Instagram to share your story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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51:14
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51:14
Inside the Blended Podcast Group Chat: Outrage, Viral Moments & Heated Debates
This week on Blended, Kate Ferdinand, and co-hosts Cilla and Nathalie invite listeners into their group chat — the place where wild dilemmas get sent. Some never make it to the podcast because they're just too outrageous… but today, they’re tackling two viral moments that had people talking.The first? A woman who bought food for her six biological children but not for her stepchild. Her husband asked, but she didn’t see anything wrong with it. The ladies get heated as they unpack whether this is the ultimate “wicked stepmother” behaviour, and question why the dad stood by and let it happen.The second? A stepdad who wasn’t invited to his stepdaughter’s graduation, despite being in her life since she was four months old. Hurt, he decided to cut off financial support. The panel debates whether this was justified or damaging, asking: what role did the mother play, and is this about boundaries or bitterness?Follow @blended on Instagram to share your story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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36:45
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36:45
Sayce Holmes-Lewis: Why Does His Ex Still Get So Much of Him?
This week on Blended, Kate Ferdinand and is joined by co-hosts Nathalie and her husband, Sayce Holmes-Lewis, to unpack a dilemma from a stepmum who feels her partner is still doing a lot for his ex and is starting to wonder if she’s being jealous and petty, or if there’s a real cause for concern.Nathalie believes a man should always be there for the mother of his child but Kate and Sayce disagree they think boundaries are essential, and that being an ex means you don’t get the same privileges as when you were in a relationship. So where is the line?The trio discuss what’s “too far” when it comes to helping an ex, how to keep the focus on the child’s wellbeing, and why clear boundaries protect everyone. Sayce also shares an overlooked male perspective, how moving out of the family home and not seeing your children every day can be an emotional struggle, and why men need to prepare themselves for that shift.Follow @blended on Instagram to share your story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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34:58
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34:58
Losing Them Too: Why Breakups Can Feel Like Bereavement for Step-Parents
This week on Blended, Kate Ferdinand is joined by co-hosts Cilla and Nathalie to unpack a heartbreak that many stepmums quietly carry: the grief of losing their stepchildren after a breakup.A listener writes in devastation after her relationship ended not because of the partner, but because she no longer gets to see the children she helped raise. Their mother doesn’t think it’s appropriate, and just like that, it’s like she never existed.The panel discuss the emotional fallout stepmums can face when love isn’t “enough” to grant them long-term connection even after years of parenting. Kate opens up about how this exact scenario has always been one of her biggest fears and admits she doesn’t think she’d cope.Cilla reflects on the reality vs. the ideal reminding us that we don’t live in a world where every bond is protected just because it’s real. And Nathalie asks the big question: what impact does it have on the children when someone who loves them simply disappears?This is a powerful conversation about invisible grief, unspoken heartbreak, and the emotional toll of loving children you don’t legally “own.” Because when stepmums are told to love like a parent but let go like a stranger.Follow @blended on Instagram to share your story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted by Kate Ferdinand and co-host Priscilla Appeaning and Nathalie Homles - Lewis. This podcast is a celebration of blended families - exploring the stories of relationships bound by love, no matter what their circumstances are. Covering subjects such as second marriages, divorce, parenting, life after loss, step kids, co-parenting, fostering and (not-so-wicked!) stepmothers, Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
UK