“I know it’s against your nature,” she said, “but when it comes to his kids, be a cat, not a dog. You’re going to want to hug them and bond with them, but it’ll be better if you relax and hang back. Wait for them to come to you.”
The advice came from my dear friend Jennifer, who has a stepfamily of her own and understands that it takes time and patience to blend and bond. I was nervous. Scared, in fact, of two girls, ages 8 and 10. I had already fallen in love with their father, so what would I do if they didn’t like me? What if I didn’t like them?