He loves her. She loves him. But his kids hate her. Or bait her. Or ignore her altogether.

She's the stepmother, and sometimes she feels as if she's never played a more thankless role. It doesn't have to be that way. With this book, the stepmother will find the advice she needs to win over even the most resistant children. This honest, practical guide written by a therapist and stepmother who's been there shows stepmothers the best ways to handle the most challenging situations, including how to:

• Get off on the right foot from "hello"
• Build a relationship with each child
• Share Daddy with his children
• Define boundaries as a couple
• Negotiate issues with Dad as well as the kids
• Deal with their "real" mom
• Survive holidays, birthdays, and school vacations
• Create family rituals