Yet the act of trying to connect with a child who isn’t their own means the stepmother is likely to be rejected, time and time again – for acceptance represents to the child not only a betrayal of their biological mother, but also the denial of the stepmother’s attempt to be a substitute for that mother
Totally relate to this - many times I have felt my relationship with dss is going really well and have really connected with him. Then on the next visit I just get rejected again.