Melissa Rainer, mother of three girls, takes you on her journey from Instamom to becoming the legal mother of her two stepdaughters. The stories are all true. Nothing is held back. Everything is on the table. Melissa shares the difficulties she had with her own parents growing up and how those play into her own parenting skills (or lack thereof). She’ll take you through her battle against outsiders’ perspectives on parenting children that "aren't yours," which can come from just about anywhere (biological mom, bio-mom’s parents, in-laws, friends, family, neighbors, and pretty much anyone with a perspective and a mouth). Melissa illustrates how she walked (and eventually severed) the tightrope of conflicting, contradictory, and ever-changing perspectives that caused difficulties in her marriage and in her relationships with her children. Instamom Podcast covers a host of topics, including: parental alienation, therapy, co-parenting, suicide & suicidal ideation, abandonment, loss, grief, and plenty of new traditions. This is her story, and it definitely is a roller coaster. Follow along with her wherever you get your podcasts and on Instagram at instagram.com/instamompod. Go buy her a coffee at buymeacoffee.com/instamompod. You can also join the private Instamom Podcast Community Facebook page by becoming a member on BMC. Thanks for listening!
As stepparents, we long for a "normal" family experience. When I adopted my girls, I really expected for our family dynamic to change into a normal family. I was quite surprised when this year, everything hit the fan and our "normal" is chaos. Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends!Subscribe, Rate & Review this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
This episode continues my discussion with Diana Topping as she works to blend her family. Her son was raised by a single father & she was a single mother. We pick up at how she knew the blending was actually working. She finishes up this episode by explaining why it is so important for parents to have "life people" - those important people that aren't your spouse, that you can do life with. This is the final part of the two part series with Diana Topping. Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends!Subscribe, Rate & Review this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
Diana Topping openly and honestly shares her raw experience of becoming a primary stepparent after being a single biological mom, with a great coparenting relationship with her daughter's father & stepmom. To say that she wasn't ready for what she'd learn while becoming a stepparent to her stepson, is a complete understatement. This is part one of a two part series. Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends!Subscribe, Rate & Review this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
This episode is covering current struggles that I am having with my oldest daughter, Kylie. We are still working towards our "new" relationship that the adoption brought us to. We both have difficulties sharing our perspectives and that often leads to disagreements that get blown out of proportion. Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends!Subscribe, Rate & Review this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
This episode is all about navigating the hard conversations with your kids. When do you tell them the truth about the divorce, adoption & sex? What information is too much & when is it not enough? These are actual conversations that I've had with my children about the divorce and subsequent adoptions. Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends!Subscribe, Rate & Review this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
Trigger Warning: Suicide/Suicidal Ideation/Suicide Plans/Sexual Child Abuse This episode is extremely raw. It's uncut (to a certain extent) and has been recorded at least 10 times at this point. I honestly don't even know what to put here other than, if you're struggling with mental health, please call the US Suicide Hotline at 800-273-8255. Do not listen to this episode if you are sensitive to hearing about suicide, suicidal ideation, suicide plans or child abuse sexual in nature. This does not affect my kids but it did happen to me. Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends!Subscribe, Rate & Review this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompod Instagram: @instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
Today's episode is all about Rebekah Gregory & Rebekah's Angel's Foundation. Rebekah Gregory is one of my best friends and a Boston Marathon Bombing Survivor. She founded Rebekah's Angel's Foundation to fund mental health treatment after struggling to find help for her son, Noah, who survived the bombing due to Rebekah's body protecting him. Rebekah's Angel's Foundation funded intensive therapy treatment for our family at the beginning of 2021. We would not be where we are as a family without their assistance. Rebekah Gregory:https://www.instagram.com/rebekahmgregory/https://www.facebook.com/RebekahMGregoryPageRebekah's Angel's Foundation: Apply for Assistance or Donate at: rebekahsangels.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebekahsangels/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/rebekahsangelsfoundationDo you like what you hear? Share with your friends!Subscribe, Rate & Review this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
I am so excited to share my husband with you all! We had fun recording this, but only after quite the disagreement. Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends!Subscribe & Rate this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
This episode covers us buying a new house, after outgrowing the 'premarital' house. I moved into the house Josh owned with his ex-wife (the girl's bio mom) and that comes with a lot of baggage in itself, but when she mentioned Emmy's bedroom in the contempt interrogatories... it was quite surprising. Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends!Subscribe & Rate this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
This episode is about the contempt case, from my perspective as the stepmom! Many times, we go through court battles, listening, wanting to speak but we are often ignored because we aren't legally parents. We all know, you do not have to be blood to be a parent, nor do you have to be a legal parent to be a parent. Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends!Subscribe & Rate this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
This episode is about when we took the girl's bio mom to court in 2017 for contempt. She disparaged Josh to the girls while she was angry, that he wasn't doing what she wanted him to do. Have you ever been in this situation? Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends!Subscribe & Rate this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
This episode is dedicated to Emmy, my middle child. She taught me how to be a mom, has loved me even when I've made mistakes (and I've made big ones) and just overall has shown me how to be a better person. I gave her the biggest gift that I could give her this year, by adopting her. Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends!Subscribe & Rate this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodJoin our Facebook Group by becoming a member: buymeacoffee.com/instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
This episode was by far my hardest to record. I had to record this quite a few times. I'm taking you back to when I was on maternity leave, headed back to work & how a physician missed diagnosing me with anxiety. I could have gotten the help I needed in 2017. This is such an important, raw and vulnerable episode. I hope you connect with it & please consider sharing with me. Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends!Subscribe & Rate this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodJoin our Facebook Group by becoming a member: buymeacoffee.com/instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
This episode is very raw. Parental Alienation, abandonment & change in children. It prevents them from talking to people, trying new things & knowing how to trust. LEAVE THE KIDS ALONE. Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends! Subscribe & Rate this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodJoin our Facebook Group by becoming a member: buymeacoffee.com/instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
It is so important to put your marriage first in blended families. If you're not booking vacations, here I am to tell you to BOOK IT! Do you like what you hear? Share with your friends! Subscribe & Rate this podcast or better yet, Buy Me A Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/instamompodInstagram: @instamompodJoin our Facebook Group by becoming a member: buymeacoffee.com/instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
Marriage is fun & easy, right? What about second or third marriages? This episode is all about expectations in marriage. We all bring in baggage and it really matters how you manage it, in order to succeed in a blended family/marriage situation. Instagram: @instamompodJoin our Facebook Group by becoming a member: buymeacoffee.com/instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
This episode is all about difficulties in communication, birth plans & Post Partum Depression. Instagram: @instamompodJoin our Facebook Group by becoming a member: buymeacoffee.com/instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
This episode is all about traditions! I always wanted to have traditions with my family when I grew up but I never thought I'd walk into a ready-made family. Have you created any traditions with your blended family?Instagram: @instamompodJoin our Facebook Group by becoming a member: buymeacoffee.com/instamompodEmail me: instamompod@gmail.com
TW: Hospice/Death This episode covers quite a bit about the first 8 months of our relationship and the personal struggles I went through. I recommend a box of tissues if you have ever faced the loss of a parent/stepparent and if you've struggled with being 'wanted' by your stepkids.To say that I was completely devastated by the year 2015, it would come as no surprise to those close to me.
Hello! Welcome to Instamom Podcast! This first episode gives a bit more background & I talk about my favorite thing - planning birthdays! Hope you enjoy!
Here's a bit of a backstory, on what you can look forward to on Instamom Podcast!
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