Family Doesn't Always Mean Blood Kin

As I was out mowing the lawn this morning several things were on my mind. The one thing that I kept tossing around was our children. When I was a young girl growing up you were taught respect and not just for your parents but for everyone. You may not like what you were told to do or if you were corrected by your neighbors parents but you knew if you didn't listen that when you got home you wouldn't like what happened. Some of you may know and some may not but my biological father passed away when I was less than a year old. My mother remarried and I gained a step-dad. I am telling you this so you don't think I am talking about something I have no knowledge about. I see and hear endless rants about how worthless a mother or father is or how that is my half/step sibling. Yes I have had family to make comments about me and my children in reference to well they are not his blood relative. Well I was dealing with some pretty mean things being said once when a very wise friend said "Angie stop ... think of it this way ... your dad (step-dad) chose you." I had never thought of it that way til then. It truly takes someone with a heart of gold to chose to be a father/mother to an others child. But just because your parents are not together doesn't mean they don't love you just as much. Things happen and life goes on. I HATE to hear parents bad mouthing the other parent to their children ... come one people if you truly love your children why would you want to hurt them. My mother never ever said anything negative to me about my biological father and no he was not perfect but who is. Believe me children grow up and they are a lot smarter than we give them credit. Your bashing the other parent to your child will come back to hurt you in the long run. I hear parents comment ... I called to talk to my son/daughter and their mom/dad wouldn't let me. How do you know that the child didn't say I don't want to talk to mommy/daddy would you want to talk to someone that has bad mouthed your mommy/daddy? If you honestly and truly love your child STOP and think before you say something you could regret later. These children are our future we need to nurture and teach them to respect and love. Just because you have a step-parent doesn't mean you are loved less it simple means there are a lot more people that love you. There isn't just 2 sides to my family there is 3 sides and they are big sides ... LOL. I was blessed with a brother on one side and 2 sisters and a brother on the other side. Please people stop hurting and using your children to hurt someone else, get your way, or try and make yourself look better than the other. You will be the one that gets hurt in the long run. Be thankful you have a child that is loved by many.