| As a step daughter and step grand daughter, I | | | | sure enough Nick came to me with a sorrowful |
| followed the examples that were set for me | | | | look on his face saying that he had missed the |
| years before when I became a step parent. The | | | | bus. I said, "You had better get your rollerblades |
| way my stepson finally came to love and respect | | | | on then or you will be late for the start of school!" |
| me as his step mother, was through all of the | | | | Nick was incredulous and asked if I was sure I |
| "trying" experiences we had. Excuse the pun, but | | | | could not take him to school, and I told him that |
| raising kids is a very trying experience! | | | | he got his one and only ride the first time he |
| One of the first times my stepson "tried" or | | | | missed the bus and he better get a move on. |
| tested my word and consistency was over | | | | His next excuse was that he was going to be all |
| catching the school bus. Nick was not a morning | | | | sweaty if he had to blade all the way to school |
| person and that made getting up in time for | | | | (about 4 miles), and I told him to take an extra |
| school in the morning a problem. Myself having | | | | shirt. When next I saw him, he was sitting on the |
| lunches to pack, and two other kids who were | | | | curb in front of our house lacing his skates up, |
| already responsible for getting themselves up, | | | | shirt off, back pack at the ready and I watched |
| Nick knew that I expected him to do his thing in | | | | him skate off down the road with a smile on my |
| the morning. When he missed the bus the first | | | | face. |
| time, I informed him that I would drive him to | | | | He had just experienced the result of testing my |
| school that one time, and one time only! | | | | consistency as a step parent and found that it |
| Just a couple of weeks later on another early | | | | was the same as my habit with my biological kids! |
| school morning, I could tell Nick was going to miss | | | | Whether they know it or not, all kids feel safe, |
| the bus if he didn't move a lot faster and told him | | | | special, and protected when rule is consistently |
| so. I left it at that, went about my business, and | | | | applied. |