For stepmum support, tools, workshops and coaching, visit: https://stepmumspace.comBecoming a stepmum is complex — but becoming a stepmum in a family shaped by grief brings an entirely different set of emotional challenges. This episode offers deep validation, honesty and support for anyone navigating a role where love, loss and loyalty all collide.In this episode, Katie talks to Jane*, whose husband is a widower and whose 13-year-old stepdaughter lost her mum at a young age. Together, they explore the reality of stepping into a family where the biological mum is still very present — through memories, loyalty, the wider family, and the unspoken expectation that no one could ever “replace” her.Jane opens up about:Navigating a relationship where she is constantly compared to a woman who is seen as “perfect”Building a loving bond with her stepdaughter while honouring her mum’s memoryThe pressure of being the “new woman” in a grieving familyTeaching her husband not to default to “Disney Dad” parentingManaging the pain of an extended family who don’t fully accept herCreating a new home and identity as a family — without erasing the pastThis is a rich, compassionate conversation filled with insight for any stepmum — not only those partnered with widowers.Not her real name.In This Episode We Explore:What it’s really like to date and marry a widowerThe emotional complexity of parenting alongside griefWhy extended families sometimes reject or exclude the new partnerHow stepmums can honour a child’s mum without losing themselvesThe challenges of being compared to someone who is no longer hereStrengthening the couple relationship when grief shapes the family dynamicHow Jane and her stepdaughter built trust and connection over timeIf You Need Support Book a free introductory coaching call: https://www.stepmumspace.com/booking Learn more about Katie’s work: https://www.stepmumspace.comKeywords: marrying a widower, widower stepmum, stepmum grief dynamics, stepmum not accepted, blended family after loss, Disney dad, stepmum comparison, struggling stepmum, stepfamily loyalty binds, stepmum podcast, emotional support for stepmumsHelpful Links: Stepmum Space website: https://stepmumspace.com Instagram: @stepmumspace 1:1 Coaching & Couples Coaching: https://stepmumspace.comYou can honour their past and still build a future you feel safe and loved in — you don’t have to do it alone.To join the Stepmum Space Workshop visit www.stepmumspace.comSupport the show

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