**Disclaimer: Mention of Drug Abuse and Overdosing**
In this heartfelt episode of the Nacho Kids Podcast, Lori Sims sits down with Tabitha Hartman to share her deeply personal and challenging journey as a stepmom, biological mom, and wife navigating the complexities of blended family life, grief, addiction, and resilience.
Tabitha Hartman recounts her blended family experience, starting with her first marriage, the birth of her children, and the struggles that arose after her ex-husband’s battle with addiction and eventual passing. She opens up about her daughter’s grief, withdrawal, and the emotionally wrenching decision to let her daughter stay with her late ex-husband’s family in another state, resulting in seven months of painful separation and court battles over guardianship.
Together, Lori Sims and Tabitha Hartman candidly discuss parental alienation, setting boundaries, and the hardships of co-parenting with difficult ex-family members. Tabitha Hartman describes the journey back to a stronger relationship with her daughter, now a thriving teenager, and the importance of maintaining open dialogue about drugs, addiction, and family history.
The episode also spotlights Tabitha Hartman’s memoir, "How Did We Get Here?", a book born from her reflections and journals during her daughter's absence and grief process, intended to help others in similar hardships find hope and healing.
Listeners will find inspiration in Tabitha Hartman’s honesty, emotional resilience, and her commitment to breaking cycles, setting boundaries, and keeping communication open amidst life’s toughest challenges.
Topics covered:
- Blended and stepfamily dynamics
- Parental grief and supporting children through loss
- The complexities of addiction and its impact on families
- Parental alienation and legal struggles over guardianship
- Rebuilding trust and relationships after trauma
- Self-care and setting boundaries as a parent and partner
- The process and value of sharing one’s story through writing
Featured Resource:
Tabitha Hartman’s memoir, "How Did We Get Here?" available on Amazon in print, Kindle, and soon in audio format.
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In this episode, we mentioned the following resources:
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Nacho Kids' purpose is to dramatically reduce the blended family and stepfamily failure rate by providing the information and tools needed to live a successful and healthy blended life.
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If you’d like to be a guest on the Nacho Kids Podcast, reach out to us and we’ll see what we can do! Or if you have a question you’d like us to answer, send us a message! We are very thankful to all of our guests and our listeners. Our hope for you is that something you hear here will help you in your blend!