Divorced? You don't have to be friends to be good co-parents

While I am all about parents of all kinds — divorced or not — showing a united front for their kids, the reality is the public image is not what our children need. What's best for each family may be very different, but the principals of respect, good communication, consistency and reasonable compromise are the building blocks of a united front they really need. The external pressure of parents feeling like they should still stand on the sidelines together, sit in the recital hall side by side or attend parent-teacher conferences at the same time and place may not be the best choice in all situations.

Jessica Janssen WolfordNovember 2, 2020Omaha World Herald, Momaha, Divorce, Co-Parenting

How Dia de los Muertos became a cherished tradition in our blended family

It wasn't until I became part of my husband's family that I started to personally understand and experience the beauty of Dia de los Muertos. My husband's maternal cultural heritage is Mexican, and the celebration of Dia de los Muertos is one that my mother-in-law, Suzanne, introduced me to through their family's tradition. The holiday has truly become a day I look forward to every year.

Jessica Janssen WolfordOctober 30, 2020Dia de los Muertos, Holiday, Tradition, Blended Family, Omaha World Herald, Moma

Divorce is hard: 6 ways you can help someone going through it

What does it look like to support someone who is going through a divorce? Six ideas to show that you really care.

Jessica Janssen WolfordSeptember 17, 2020Omaha World Herald, Momaha, Divorce, Parenting, Co-paren

Marking the milestones with your stepchildren

I'm not typically the mom who gets teary at the milestones. Back to school, next size up clothes and birthdays don't bother me.

But recently, these milestones have become difficult for me when it comes to my stepdaughters. And this has come as a surprise to me.

Jessica Janssen WolfordAugust 21, 2020Omaha World Herald, Momaha, Stepmom, Stepchildren, Birthdays

What my husband and I have learned about marriage — the second time around

I never really understood those big law firms that claim "200 years combined experience" — when everyone in the photo is clearly under 50 — until I got married the second time around.

June 2nd was our second wedding anniversary, and it truly feels like we have been married for decades. My husband, Eric, and I laugh that it feels that way because we have 21 years combined experience. There was no honeymoon phase. We said "I do" and found ourselves building a family from somewhere in the middle.

We sat down a few weeks ago to reflect on our first two years together and what we've learned about marriage over time and this time around.

To read what we feel we’ve learned (the second time around), visit Momaha.com.

Jessica Janssen WolfordJune 3, 2020Momaha, OWH, Omaha World Herald, Marriage, Second Marriage, Blended Family

What's it like to be a Stepmom on Mother's Day?

This is a question I never really considered until a few years ago when I became a stepmother. Before my first Mother's Day as a blended family, I really started to wonder what my "new" role as stepmom would feel like on that day.

My husband's youngest daughter had proudly opened up her backpack one day after school to show me the smushed construction paper craft she had made in her kindergarten classroom for her mom. As I praised her for her good work and told her how much I thought her mom would love it, I could almost see the thought flash across her eyes as she realized in that moment that she didn't make one for me.

Her smile shifted, and she quickly offered to make me one, too. She thought hard and suggested that maybe she and her teacher could talk about making a second one the next day. She worried, though, that there wouldn't be enough supplies left. I kneeled down to her level and gave her a giant hug. I told her the craft should really go to her mom on Mother's Day.

Jessica Janssen WolfordMay 9, 2020Momaha, OWH, Omaha World Herald, Stepmom