‘Blending’ is never easy. In fact, it takes the average family five to seven years to fully ‘blend’. If you’re currently in the rough and tumble of blending your family, In The Blend is your hub of how-tos and humour to help you feel seen, supported and optimistic about your future.
A destination for parents navigating life as a blended family.
New online course for bonus mums
A digital course to help you master step-parenting
Being a ‘bonus mum’ was never on your list of personal goals… Now you’re here, The Bonus Mum Blueprint digital online course will help you build confidence in your new role. Guided by In The Blend’s Laura Jenkins, you’ll learn tried-and-tested step-parenting strategies, along with golden nuggets of wisdom from her own lived experience, to become the ‘bonus mum’ you’d like to be.
Podcast
In The Blend is a podcast series hosted by Laura Jenkins, featuring candid conversations with experts and guests, which dive deep on how to create a harmonious blended family life when you’re in the thick of figuring out a whole new complex world of logistics, love, and mental load.
About Laura Jenkins
Laura Jenkins grew up in a blended family and is now a decade into raising one of her own. Laura is passionate about helping blended families thrive through her podcast, In The Blend, and her online course, The Bonus Mum Blueprint, which provides a clear and concise plan to guide and support step-parents.
Frequently asked questions
What is a blended family?
Technically speaking, the Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defines a blended family as a couple family with at least one natural or adopted child of both partners and at least one step-child of either partner. As at the 2021 Census, 12 per cent of couple families with dependent children were either step- or blended families. So, you’re definitely not alone.
What are some common challenges experienced by blended families?
In speaking with experts on In The Blend, and through her own lived experience, Laura Jenkins has created The Bonus Mum Blueprint to provide guidance and strategies specifically for stepmums, addressing common challenges they face, including adjustment difficulties, discipline differences, loyalty conflicts — and the many, many other all-consuming situations that pop up in blended family life.
What is my role in the blended family?
For Laura Jenkins, who grew up in a blended family and is now raising one of her own, this was one of her biggest questions. Ultimately, your role in a blended family will vary depending on your specific circumstances, relationships, and personal preferences. The Bonus Mum Blueprint course will help you get clarity on how to approach your new role, taking these factors into account.
What resources are available for blended families seeking support?
There is help and advice for blended families on the Family Relationships Online Australian Government website. The purpose of The Bonus Mum Blueprint and In The Blend is to provide complementary resources for blended families seeking support, which are grounded in lived experience, expert knowledge and an emphasis on building community and connection digitally and in real life.
What’s Laura’s advice for bonus mums and step-parents?
Comparison is the thief of joy. There is no ‘normal’ family. If you worry about what anyone else is doing — you’ll second guess how you’re taking up your new role. Start by being present, remaining calm, and modelling the behaviour you’d like the kids to replicate. The Bonus Mum Blueprint goes deep on all the how-tos of creating a loving and logistically humming blended family.