Stepfamily Stress Symptoms

Being a step-parent is a thankless job. Being a biological parent is a thankless job too but it's harder when you're a step-parent. As a parent, you have the parent-child bond between you without all the baggage that comes with the "step" situation.

With your own kids, you have some input into what you teach them and your expecations for behavior, etc. Being a step-parent, you pretty much get all the dirty deeds of parenting with little of the good stuff that goes along with parenting your own, unless you're lucky (not to mention all the negativity you might have dealing with an ex).

It can mean huge amounts of stress that to me, frankly, is really hard to deal with sometimes. The insomnia, the burning in the shoulders, the headaches, the TMJ from constantly clenching your jaw over one thing or another, the mental/emotional chaos...all stress symptoms I've had over the years. I seriously think all the stress has had something to do with the autoimmune diseases I've developed. At least I've not had problem with my feet, like Plantar Fasciitis or something, but I've pretty much shown unpleasant symptoms of this situation most everywhere else. All that stress has to take a toll on a body.

I'm in such a bad mood over my stepson right now and really need to relax before I end up with an aching jaw and headaches for the next week. I should have known better. Every time I try, I should really be prepared for the hit instead of feeling sucker-punched with his rudeness.