The life of a step-parent..

   In this day and age, it is very unusual to not know someone who is a step parent. And by "step-parent" I mean anyone who is in a realtionship with someone who has children, regarldess if you are married or not.
   I happen to believe that kind of relationship should not be taken lightly. Before you enter into a relationship with someone who has children, you need to ask yourself a couple of questions:
A) Are you willing to put the childrens needs above your own?
B) Are you willing to give up time with your significant other so that he/or she can spend time with their children
C) Are you willing to bring them into your home and treat them like they were your very own?
If you can not say yes to every one of these questions, you should seriously rethink having a realtionship with this person.
   When you become a parent, some primal instinct kicks in that you never knew you had.  You will protect those children with all your might until your death if it comes to that. So naturally, when a step parent becomes involved in their lives you are instinctly guarded. You want to make sure that person is "good enough" to be with your children.  Of course you have no say in who that other person is, but you hope with all your might that they are good to your children and treat them with the upmost respect. And when that doesnt happen...you wish with all your might that the other parent will support you and stand up for their children. 
   Unfortunelty that does not always happen.  That other parent sees fit to abandon their children for this person they think will fulfill their life.  I have just one thing to say to that person.  Shame on you!  Shame on you for allowing your significant other to treat your children this way and not stand up for them! And to the other person....you should be ashamed of yourself.  Ashamed to call yourself a parent, ashamed that you could treat a child the way you do, and ashamed for you significant other to allow it to happen.
   Karma will come around.  It will find you.  And it will suck!