This is a touchy subject for some stepmoms. Some feel they have the “right” to discipline, while some think that this responsibility should rest solely on the biological parents.

In my humble opinion, I feel that it should be discussed between you and your significant other/husband and come up with a plan. I also, feel that it truly depends on the amount of time that the step kids spend with you and their dad. If you are a custodial stepmom, this is going to be a completely different situation than having step kids every other weekend.

I do believe that it takes time to nurture a relationship with your stepchild(ren) and build trust, before being able to co-discipline them. If you do this too soon, it could backfire for you and create even more challenges for you in your journey.

This is something you take slow. If you are a custodial stepmom, you are going to need to have some authority and some backing from their dad to be able to put some consequences in place.

Remember, as always, to pick your battles. Carefully decide when a battle is worth fighting. I like to ask myself the question, “Will this matter in a week? A month? A year?” If it does, then it is worth the battle. If not, let it go!