The 1970s sitcom “The Brady Bunch” painted a picture of harmony and humor as two families joined together to become one. However, adjusting to life as a blended family can prove more arduous than affable. It’s a lesson that Gwyneth Paltrow learned after marrying Brad Falchuk in September 2018. Paltrow was already a mom of two, so she was down with the parenting skills. Still, it’s a different ballgame when caring for somebody else’s kids.
In an interview with Gabrielle Union for “The Goop Podcast,” Paltrow admitted it had been a challenge to learn how to become a stepmom. “I have two beautiful stepchildren who are the same age as mine,” Paltrow explained. “When I knew I was going to become a stepmother, I was like, ‘S**t, I have no idea how to do this,'” she continued. “There’s nothing to read. What do I do? Where do I step in? Where do I not? Like, how do I do this?”
“I did find it really hard at first,” Paltrow admitted in an Instagram Q&A. “All of the existing media around what a stepmother is casts us in this evil, villainous light,” she continued, “So it’s kind of like trying to avoid land mines.” Paltrow said the defining moment was when she embraced Falchuk’s kids as her own, applying the same rules and boundaries. “Then the easier the whole thing got. And now it’s pretty great,” she said.
