Every so often, I receive reflections from former clients who generously share how their lives and family dynamics have evolved through the lens of the work we’ve done together. This heartfelt piece, shared anonymously by a long-time client, is one such story.

It’s a beautiful reminder that in the world of co-parenting and blended families, healing, growth, and second chances are always possible—especially when there’s openness, love, and a willingness to shift old patterns.

This story captures the transformative journey of a woman, once a daughter navigating a complex step-parent relationship, who later witnessed that same “bonus parent” rise with love and grace as a grandmother. Through the guidance and tools we explored in our coaching work, she was able to welcome harmony where there had once been strain—and to offer her own family a new foundation for connection.

I’m honored to share her story here, in her own words:

When I was eight years old, my dad remarried. My mom had passed away two years earlier.

My father, already unwell, wanted to make sure someone would be there for me if anything happened to him. And eventually, something did—eleven years later. By then, my stepmother had, in many ways, helped raise me.

I say in many ways because it was complicated. Life, personalities, limitations, and circumstances made things difficult. Our relationship was often tumultuous. After my dad passed away, things only became more strained. Distance and carefully set boundaries became our new normal.

This is not what my coach, Anna Giannone, would call “co-parenting in harmony.”

But life has a way of offering second chances.

More than a decade later, I became pregnant. That’s when something beautiful and unexpected happened: my stepmom stepped up in the most profound way. She transformed into a doting, loving, playful, and generous grandmother. In that first year, she came to stay with us, offering tireless support. She’d insist on taking the night shift with the baby so I could get some precious sleep. We visited each other often, and each time, she made it clear that she was all in.

Anna often talks about bonus moms and bonus grandparents. I now understand what she means. Thanks to the work I’ve done with Anna, I was open to new possibilities—open to harmony, healing, and the power of love to reshape family dynamics.

Sometimes, a bonus parent or grandparent just needs a bonus try.

Years later, after I separated from my son’s father, both of his bonus grandmothers continued to be deeply loving and supportive. Now, 25 years on, they remain cherished and central figures in our son’s life.

I’m so grateful to Anna for helping guide our family through the messy, the painful, and the healing—to a place of renewed connection and balance.

Stories like this are why I do the work I do.

Anna Giannone, a first-person advocate and founder of Co-parenting in Harmony. Certified Master Coach Practitioner – Co-parenting Coach. With a deep belief in the power of emotional awareness and conscious communication, she empowers individuals to lead with love, live with intention, and raise the next generation in peace and unity. You can learn more about Anna,. You can purchase her book via www.annagiannone.com