Positve representations of blended families

[Flor]

Where do see positve representation in books, movies and literature? As far as pop culture goes, I am impressed with the tv show Reba these days. While the stepmom is ditsy, the parents involved always coparent, hang out together, have holidays together and share responsiblities nicely. Plus, the kids seem to accept Barbara Jean as a parent and are concerned that she not be left out. The shows not perfect, but it is MUCH nicer than the usual wicked stepmother stuff. Where else do you see positves?

[Marlet]

That show is a perfect example! I love how they live next door to each other (not likely) and that Barbara Jean hangs out with Reba daily. They all get together when making decisions and everything. I wish every blended family were like that. It's refreshing to see.

Two and a half Men is more towards the divorced side. They have a child in a divorced family who has to deal with visitations and all it entails. They don't really focus a whole lot on that though, it's more a comedy about the dad and his brother. Stupid show but it doesn bring in the bad mouthing the ex thing and what not.

[Katt2005]

I almost said Step-by-Step :LOL Yeah, that wouldn't work. None I can think of but Reba. Kinda sad.

[Shenjall]

yeah, there's not many out there, is there?

We need to make a new tv show. Lets see, it'll be about 6 friends who hang out in a coffee shop, what do you think?

[Flor]

When dss was little, I felt like I had to preview books and movies-- even the G rated ones-- not for violence and sex but for evil stepmothers! When I was teaching first grade, we had the book Hansel and Gretel and in my version it is the evil stepmother who sends the kids away. I said, no way, and just read it as the evil mother and the kids were very disturbed by this. Evil stepmothers were no problem but and evil mother was just unacceptable to them. Yeah for moms but kinda sad for stepmoms.

[SillyTreeFairy]

It is sad. I start working on a story about a boy every now and again, but the feed back that I've gotten was terrible. The bad feedback wasn't even about the plot line. People just didn't like his two houses and thought it would be confusing. I'll get back to it soon. I just think young kids with blended families should have some characters to identify with.

Another example was the movie Stepmom. The sad thing was it took the mother dying to get it to that place.

Ok, maybe that movie wasn't the perfect example, because in that movie, the father was somewhat absent, wasn't he?

Reba cracks dh and I up!

[Marlet]

There is another show and I can't remember the name of it. It's a black family and the mom is a cook. She has her own catering business and the stepmom is a day care teacher (I think). Anyways they are always getting together and dealing with "kid" issues as a group.

[Flor]

I'm bumping this ancient thread because I saw FINALLY another nice representation of blended families on TV-- on Jojo's circus. Ms. Kerspachki (the teacher) marries Maya's dad and becomes her stepmom. The kids on Jojo's talk about how they thought stepmoms were evil, but Ms. Kersplachki is so nice. And, they learn that another nice mom they know is actually the stepmom. Plus, Croaky has two daddy frogs!

[mazi'smom]

That's awesome that Jojo's circus is displaying different types of families! Even two daddy frogs! It's good to see such things are being accepted into mainstream culture.

[Yaelita]

Nanny McPhee

I liked the movie Nanny McPhee with Emma Thompson as the witch-like nanny who turns into a Mary Poppins-like nanny as the kids get to know her better. There is a sideline to the story - the former maid of the house, who is adored by all the kids, marries the kids' dad. So, I guess it qulifies as a film with positive portrayal of a step-mother.

[fek&fuzz]

The Sound of Music! First there is the "evil" dad's girlfriend, but then Maria comes along and loves the children like her own.

Also, in Jane Eyre, Rochester has a daughter, and his first girlfriend wants to send her away, but then of course, Jane marries him, and little Adelle lives with them and Jane loves her.

[fek&fuzz]

[Phoenix~Mama]

I agree with the sentiment that there needs to be more mainstream POSITIVE portrayals of blended families... they are so common anymore you would think there would be...

I like Reba too... but I still think there could be something more, you know?

[Flor]

Originally Posted by JSMa

I agree with the sentiment that there needs to be more mainstream POSITIVE portrayals of blended families... they are so common anymore you would think there would be...

I like Reba too... but I still think there could be something more, you know?

Is it still on?

I've only watched it a couple of times but the New Adventures of Old Christine have some postive blended family moments.

[Phoenix~Mama]

Yeah I still catch Reba from time to time.

[BellaLuna Rayne]

Originally Posted by OtherMother'n'Madre

There is another show and I can't remember the name of it. It's a black family and the mom is a cook. She has her own catering business and the stepmom is a day care teacher (I think). Anyways they are always getting together and dealing with "kid" issues as a group.

This show is called All Of Us, its on CW in reruns.

I can't think of any other shows besides Reba, too bad it was canceled

[violet_]

Gee, and no one's mentioned the Brady Bunch! (just kidding!)

I heard Juno was good, but I haven't seen it yet myself.

The good portrayals tend to have absent moms though. Not so good at all.

[fek&fuzz]

Originally Posted by violet_

Gee, and no one's mentioned the Brady Bunch! (just kidding!)

I heard Juno was good, but I haven't seen it yet myself.

The good portrayals tend to have absent moms though. Not so good at all.

Yeah, when the focus is on the dads, the moms are usually dead or have "run off."

Step Mom was a good movie. A realistic portrayal I thought. I watched it with my boyfriend and at one point the girl is being so snotty to Julia Roberts and I was getting so annoyed, and he was like "well, it must be hard for her." And I said "well, she doesn't have to be rude." Thankfully, the (Very few) times that his daughter has been rude to me he's let her know that is it not ok.

Also, there is a book called the Naked Mole Rat Letters about a girl who lives with her widowed dad and her brothers, and finds an email from a woman that her dad met on a business trip and she starts corresponding with the woman, really mean to her at first, then pretending she's the dad, but the woman is just really nice and cool and keeps saying "you really need to talk to your dad about your feelings." It's a great book. I had bought it to send to my DSD, but then i started reading it myself.

[cjanelles]

Juno isn't a bad example of the portrayal of a step-mom...she is really human, that's for sure, but she is totally there for Juno, and she even really goes to bat for her, defending her and taking care of her.

I really appreciated the step-mom in Juno, for sure.

[fek&fuzz]

I thought of another one. The For Better of For Worse Comic. http://www.fborfw.com

with Elizabeth marrying Anthony, a divorced father. But, again, in that one, the mom "ran off" and doesn't want to be a mom. Maybe the author thought that would be easier to write about than families where there is shared parenting and new partners and all that.