• A Stepfamily is Like a Circuit Board-The Evil Stepmother Speaks

  • A stepfamily is like an electrical circuit with wires curving in, out, over and under. Sometimes, two wires meet and there is a spark. But, the  mechanics still work.  The job gets done.  This thought was inspired by the creation of a robot built by a wonderful class of physics students from Yerucham, Israel. Their robot shoots basketballs accurately into the basket.  They won 2nd place in the the First Robotics Competition, (FRC) an international program designed to inspire students to embrace science and technology.  The Team Y 3211 (of Yerucham & FRC) are bright high school students who are going to make a difference in the world.

    When I saw a demonstration of their robot, I saw a stepfamily.  Here it is.

    We Are Tossed Into the Funnel While the Rocket Looms Ominously

    I saw a bunch of well-intentioned, loving people being tossed into the funnel.  Our goal was to form a loving family.  Truth was that some of us were not given a choice.  The children almost never have a voice in the remarriage of their parents.  The ex-wife certainly does not get to choose the new wife.  The new wife has no choices.  But, we are bonded by the same things:  intense love for our children and our families.  Nevertheless, we are tossed into the funnel, while the rocket looms ominously on the side.  Who knows if/when the rocket will go off?

     

     

     

    Meanwhile, life goes on and it looks like this:

    Life Goes Up, Over, Under and In Between. Stepfamily Dynamics Can Be Challenging.

    In and out.  Up and down.  Over and under.  Everyday can be different with different people, personalities and life challenges sweeping  our lives in a multitude of directions.  Stepfamilies are a piece of art.  Our colorful personalities weave a pattern that is complex but quite beautiful.  We must let each of our ‘wires’ do its job so that the ball goes into the basket.  If one wire intrudes on the job of another, there is combustion and the rocket goes off.  Somehow, our circuitry gets back on track.

    Stepfamilies are an engineering feat.  We continue to get the ball into the basket while facing tough defenses.  Maybe, we all deserve an award.