Now I’m asking you, who doesn’t like Sandra Bullock? Who doesn’t love her self-deprecating style? She’s obviously talented, funny, irreverent, and seemingly smart. From afar, she appears to be down-to-earth (or as down-to-earth as a superstar can be), and yet, if I am to believe the latest Hollywood insider gossip, the daughter of Ms. Bullock’s boyfriend wants nothing to do with America’s brunette sweetheart.
How can this be? Someone who doesn’t want to be around their dad’s girlfriend is not that an unusual scenario. Just look at what happened to Snow White (nearly died) and Cinderella (pretty girl servitude) until they broke away? I’m not saying these fairy tale step-moms were not evil and just bad news when it comes to family harmony, but remember, those stories are just that–fairy tales.
Sometimes, my sweets, it is not the step-mom or girlfriend. In fact these days, I’d say that often, it’s an overindulged, immature daughter or son who is unkind to Daddy’s or Mommy’s new love interest. Really, if that new love interest wasn’t in the picture, then maybe, just maybe the parents would find their way back to each other and everyone would live happily ever after. But that is just a modern day fairy tale. The fantasy of a child who may not have yet processed their parents’ split.
So what to do? First, maybe we don’t need to believe everything we read in the supermarket gossip sheets (but it is great fun). Maybe we need to be more aware of the lasting sting of divorce. People deny this, and yet those living with a broken heart because of a parents’ split are part of the mess of our world right now. Good parents make a difference. And if yours have split, you probably have a bit more work to do. Unlike Cinderella, sweeping the mess under the rug really doesn’t work. Unless it’s a real dusty mess, company is coming over, and you don’t have time to vacuum it up.
Family life can be messy. Divorce can be messy. We all know these things. What we don’t know is the real reason for this man’s daughter to not want to live with her father and girlfriend and the girlfriend’s children. And is it any of our business? Maybe it is noise levels from young kiddies in a home. Maybe it’s a geographic issue. Maybe It’s finally realizing you are an adult and are responsible for yourself.
As a 20-something woman, perhaps this daughter just wants her own life. Perhaps there is not a problem at all. And yet, the myth of evil step-parents persists. Maybe the problem is the bio-parent. Maybe it’s the child. Maybe it’s just a case of “I need my space.”
And for goodness sake, there must be a reason that there’s a very successful, long-running game show named “Family Feud,” right? It’s normal. I think.
Naturally, Auntie has a helpful hint about just this topic…and here it is: It’s not always the evil stepmother, sometimes it’s just a difference of opinion…about EVERYTHING.
