Stepmom Side Chats

The End of an Era, A New Chapter | Come Find Me at Call Me Stepmom

A quick update from Rebecca. 🤍 My time on Stepmom Side Chats is coming to an end, but the conversations are continuing over at my new podcast, Call Me Stepmom launching September 1st. If you’ve listened, laughed, related, or felt a little less alone because of something we’ve talked about here, I hope you’ll come with me into this next chapter. 🎙️ Search Call Me Stepmom with Rebecca Call Taylor wherever you listen to podcasts and hit follow so you don’t miss what’s coming next. Come find me here: Find me on Apple —> Click here to follow Find me on Spotify —> Click here to follow See you over there. 🖤

Beyond Love Is Blind: Jessica Batten McGrath Opens Up About Stepmom Life

Most people know Jessica Batten McGrath from Love Is Blind, but today we're getting to know the woman behind the reality TV experience. Jessica joins us for an honest conversation about the chapter that came after the cameras stopped rolling becoming a wife, a mom, and a stepmom. Together, we talk about what it's really like to step into an already-established family, the unexpected challenges of blended family life, and how those experiences have shaped the way she approaches love, marriage, and motherhood. Jessica shares the lessons she's learned, the moments that stretched her, and the perspective she's gained along the way. Whether you're a new stepmom or you've been navigating this journey for years, this episode is a reminder that blended families aren't perfect and they don't have to be. If you've ever felt like no one prepared you for what stepmom life would actually be like, this conversation is for you. Connect with Jessica Batten McGrath on Instagram - @jessicabatten_ ✨ Big Ass Candles | www.bigassluxuries.com and use the code STEPMOM for a discount ✨ COZY EARTH | ⁠www.cozyearth.com⁠ and use code STEPMOM ✨ Get Out | www.getout.com and use code STEPMOM ✨ Pateron private stepmom membership: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes ⁠⁠@stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Leave us a review if this episode resonated with you, this helps us reach more stepmoms.

Diving Deeper Into Stepmotherhood with Christina from Radical Stepmoms

In this episode, we're joined by Christina Nelson of Radical Stepmoms Podcast for an honest conversation about the realities of stepmotherhood. We discuss what it's really like entering a relationship with someone who already has a child, navigating difficult co-parenting dynamics, advocating for stepchildren with ADHD, and the grief many stepmoms experience when their blended family doesn't look the way they imagined. Christina also shares her perspective on one of the most misunderstood topics in the stepmom community: disengagement. We talk about resentment, boundaries, selective involvement, and how stepmoms can show up in ways that align with their values without losing themselves in the process. Whether you're a new stepmom or years into your journey, this episode is packed with practical advice, validation, and reminders that you're not alone. Topics discussed: • Meeting the bio mom for the first time • Co-parenting a child with ADHD • Stepmom resentment and burnout • What disengagement actually means • Ours babies and blended family grief • Kids in the marital bedroom • Building healthy boundaries as a stepmom Connect with Christina Nelson from Radical Stepmoms: Instagram:@radicalstepmomspodcast Website: www.radicalstepmomspodcast.com ✨ Big Ass Candles | www.bigassluxuries.com and use the code STEPMOM for a discount ✨ COZY EARTH | ⁠www.cozyearth.com⁠ and use code STEPMOM ✨ Get Out | www.getout.com and use code STEPMOM ✨ Pateron private stepmom membership: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes ⁠⁠@stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Leave us a review if this episode resonated with you, this helps us reach more stepmoms.

Archived | Ours Baby Part 2: Stepkid Jealousy, Dad Guilt & The Fairness Trap

We’re back with Part 2 of our Ours Baby series, and this time we're answering the questions everyone really wants to know. Did your stepkids get jealous? Did bio mom get worse? Were the kids at the hospital? Do dads overcompensate out of guilt? And is "fairness" in a blended family even possible? In this episode, we get real about the practical side of having an ours baby...from stepkid reactions and loyalty binds to grandparent dynamics, age gaps, guilt parenting, and the challenges nobody warns you about. Whether you're considering having an ours baby, currently pregnant, or already navigating life with one, this conversation is packed with honest experiences, uncomfortable truths, and the reassurance that you're not alone. Topics discussed: • Stepkid jealousy and adjustment • Bringing baby home to a blended family • Bio mom reactions • Dad guilt and overcompensating • Grandparent dynamics • The myth of fairness in blended families • Navigating first-time motherhood as a stepmom Grab your coffee and join us for another candid Stepmom Side Chats conversation. ✨ Big Ass Candles | www.bigassluxuries.com and use the code STEPMOM for a discount ✨ COZY EARTH | ⁠www.cozyearth.com⁠ and use code STEPMOM ✨ Get Out | www.getout.com and use code STEPMOM ✨ Pateron private stepmom membership: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes ⁠⁠@stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Leave us a review if this episode resonated with you, this helps us reach more stepmoms.

“I Was Brainwashed to Hate My Dad” | A Daughter’s Journey Through Parental Alienation

What happens when the person you trust most shapes your entire reality and that reality isn’t true? In this deeply personal episode of Stepmom Side Chats, Alyssa & Becca sit down with Meghan, a woman who spent decades believing her father abandoned her. Raised in a high-conflict home, Meghan shares what it was like growing up caught in the middle of divorce, manipulation, fear, loyalty binds, and emotional survival. From walking on eggshells with her mother to feeling a deep longing for her dad she couldn’t explain, Meghan opens up about the painful reality of parental alienation from the child’s perspective. She shares how therapy helped her begin connecting the dots, what it felt like to finally reconnect with her father later in life, and the healing that came from learning her story was never what she had been told. This conversation is raw, validating, and eye-opening for stepmoms, dads, and anyone navigating alienation, high-conflict co-parenting, or the long-term effects of childhood trauma. If you’ve ever wondered what alienated kids are really feeling or what they wish the safe adults in their lives knew, this episode is one you won’t forget. Connect with Meghan: Instagram:@socalfitmama ✨ Big Ass Candles | www.bigassluxuries.com and use the code STEPMOM for a discount ✨ COZY EARTH | ⁠www.cozyearth.com⁠ and use code STEPMOM ✨ Get Out | www.getout.com and use code STEPMOM ✨ Pateron private stepmom membership: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes ⁠⁠@stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Leave us a review if this episode resonated with you, this helps us reach more stepmoms.

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Archived | Emotional Neutrality: The Stepmom Skill Nobody Talks About

This episode has been archived. As the podcast transitions into its next chapter as Call Me Stepmom with Dr. Rebecca, select episodes from the previous show have been archived and are no longer available for listening. New episodes, conversations, and plenty of unfiltered stepmom talk are coming your way. 🤍 Follow Call Me Stepmom so you don't miss what's next.

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Stepmoms, Boundaries & High-Conflict Chaos with Naja Hall

In this powerful episode, Alyssa and Becca sit down with for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had about high-conflict co-parenting, loyalty binds, and what happens when being the “nice” stepmom stops working. Naja shares her own journey through parental alienation, conflict, and the emotional toll of loving children who may have been taught to keep their distance. Together, we unpack how chaos from another household can quietly impact your marriage, your identity, your peace, and even the way your stepkids show up in your home. This conversation is raw, funny, validating, and full of the hard truths many stepmoms need to hear, especially if you’ve ever felt misunderstood, pushed to your limits, or wondered how to love deeply while still protecting your peace. Connect with Naja Hall: Instagram:@vipstepmom Website: www.vipstepmom.com ✨ Big Ass Candles | www.bigassluxuries.com and use the code STEPMOM for a discount ✨ COZY EARTH | ⁠www.cozyearth.com⁠ and use code STEPMOM ✨ Get Out | www.getout.com and use code STEPMOM ✨ Pateron private stepmom membership: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes ⁠⁠@stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Leave us a review if this episode resonated with you, this helps us reach more stepmoms.

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Archived | You’re Not the Cruise Director: Surviving Summer as a Stepmom

This episode has been archived. As the podcast transitions into its next chapter as Call Me Stepmom with Dr. Rebecca, select episodes from the previous show have been archived and are no longer available for listening. New episodes, conversations, and plenty of unfiltered stepmom talk are coming your way. 🤍 Follow Call Me Stepmom so you don't miss what's next.

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Archived | Your Body Keeps the Score: Stress, Trauma & Why Stepmoms Are Burning Out

This episode has been archived. As the podcast transitions into its next chapter as Call Me Stepmom with Dr. Rebecca, select episodes from the previous show have been archived and are no longer available for listening. New episodes, conversations, and plenty of unfiltered stepmom talk are coming your way. 🤍 Follow Call Me Stepmom so you don't miss what's next.

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Archived | The Friendship Shift No One Talks About in Stepmom Life

This episode has been archived. As the podcast transitions into its next chapter as Call Me Stepmom with Dr. Rebecca, select episodes from the previous show have been archived and are no longer available for listening. New episodes, conversations, and plenty of unfiltered stepmom talk are coming your way. 🤍 Follow Call Me Stepmom so you don't miss what's next.

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Present through the Chaos with Randy Keith

Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of suicide, domestic violence, and mental health crises. Please take care while listening. In this episode of Stepmom Sidechats, Alyssa & Becca sit down with Randy Keith, also known as Present Father, a fatherhood advocate, creator, and founder of the Present Father Movement. Randy shares his deeply personal story of divorce, navigating a high-conflict custody battle, parallel parenting, and what it has looked like to fight to stay present for his children through some of the hardest seasons of his life. We also talk about the impact of mental health, how children can become caught in the middle during high-conflict dynamics, the realities of blended family life, and what support from a partner can look like when co-parenting feels anything but peaceful. Randy offers a rare and honest dad’s perspective on loyalty binds, weaponized parenting, stepmom support, and why consistency, documentation, and emotional regulation matter so much. This conversation is raw, validating, and full of insight for stepmoms, dads, and anyone navigating the complexities of high-conflict co-parenting and blended family life. Connect with Randy Keith: Instagram: @present.fathers Website: ⁠https://present-father.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Present-Father ✨ Big Ass Candles | www.bigassluxuries.com and use the code STEPMOM for a discount ✨ Episode sponsor | ⁠www.cozyearth.com⁠ and use code STEPMOM ✨ Pateron private stepmom membership: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes ⁠⁠@stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Leave us a review if this episode resonated with you, this helps us reach more stepmoms.

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Archived | Mother's Day: Not the Mom… But Doing Everything a Mom Does

This episode has been archived. As the podcast transitions into its next chapter as Call Me Stepmom with Dr. Rebecca, select episodes from the previous show have been archived and are no longer available for listening. New episodes, conversations, and plenty of unfiltered stepmom talk are coming your way. 🤍 Follow Call Me Stepmom so you don't miss what's next.

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Understanding Your Enneagram as a Stepmom with Ashton Whitmoyer-Ober

In this episode of Alyssa & Becca, we sit down with Ashton Whitmoyer-Ober, an Enneagram coach and speaker, to talk about how understanding your Enneagram type can help you navigate stepmom life with more self-awareness, clarity, and compassion. We get into how different Enneagram types respond to conflict, triggers, boundaries, people-pleasing, resentment, and relationship dynamics, especially inside blended families. We also talk about why stepmom life can feel so emotionally layered, how your core motivations shape the way you react, and what it can look like to better understand both yourself and the people around you. Whether you are the stepmom who overthinks everything, takes things to heart, avoids conflict, or feels like you always have to prove yourself, this conversation offers insight into why you may respond the way you do and how that awareness can help you move through blended family dynamics with more intention. We also answer a listener question and share practical takeaways for stepmoms who want to better understand their triggers, communication patterns, and emotional responses. Connect with Ashton: Instagram: @enneagramashton Website:https://www.enneagramashton.com/ Click here to: Find out your enneagram ✨ Big Ass Candles | www.bigassluxuries.com and use the code STEPMOM for a discount ✨ Episode sponsor | www.cozyearth.com and use code STEPMOM ✨ Pateron private stepmom membership: ⁠https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats⁠ ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes ⁠@stepmomsidechats⁠ ✨ Leave us a review if this episode resonated with you, this helps us reach more stepmoms.

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Archived | Stepmoms...we're so back!

This episode has been archived. As the podcast transitions into its next chapter as Call Me Stepmom with Dr. Rebecca, select episodes from the previous show have been archived and are no longer available for listening. New episodes, conversations, and plenty of unfiltered stepmom talk are coming your way. 🤍 Follow Call Me Stepmom so you don't miss what's next.

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Archived | Would you rather: Stepmom edition

This episode has been archived. As the podcast transitions into its next chapter as Call Me Stepmom with Dr. Rebecca, select episodes from the previous show have been archived and are no longer available for listening. New episodes, conversations, and plenty of unfiltered stepmom talk are coming your way. 🤍 Follow Call Me Stepmom so you don't miss what's next.

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Archived | Handling raw emotions: staying grounded in co-parenting with Jay Skibbens

This episode has been archived. As the podcast transitions into its next chapter as Call Me Stepmom with Dr. Rebecca, select episodes from the previous show have been archived and are no longer available for listening. New episodes, conversations, and plenty of unfiltered stepmom talk are coming your way. 🤍 Follow Call Me Stepmom so you don't miss what's next.

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Archived | The Blurred Line: Step-parenting, authority, & decision making with Gabriella Pomare

This episode has been archived. As the podcast transitions into its next chapter as Call Me Stepmom with Dr. Rebecca, select episodes from the previous show have been archived and are no longer available for listening. New episodes, conversations, and plenty of unfiltered stepmom talk are coming your way. 🤍 Follow Call Me Stepmom so you don't miss what's next.

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Archived | Tapping out: Stepmomming teenagers

This episode has been archived. As the podcast transitions into its next chapter as Call Me Stepmom with Dr. Rebecca, select episodes from the previous show have been archived and are no longer available for listening. New episodes, conversations, and plenty of unfiltered stepmom talk are coming your way. 🤍 Follow Call Me Stepmom so you don't miss what's next.

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Archived | Keeping Up With Bio Mom (and Why We’re Done Trying)

This episode has been archived. As the podcast transitions into its next chapter as Call Me Stepmom with Dr. Rebecca, select episodes from the previous show have been archived and are no longer available for listening. New episodes, conversations, and plenty of unfiltered stepmom talk are coming your way. 🤍 Follow Call Me Stepmom so you don't miss what's next.

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Archived | Support from your partner is hot...just sayin'

This episode has been archived. As the podcast transitions into its next chapter as Call Me Stepmom with Dr. Rebecca, select episodes from the previous show have been archived and are no longer available for listening. New episodes, conversations, and plenty of unfiltered stepmom talk are coming your way. 🤍 Follow Call Me Stepmom so you don't miss what's next.

• Transcript