Over the last few months, Smile Politely and chambanamoms.com have reached out to the local community to find out what’s been missing from the Champaign-Urbana digital community. After numerous conversations with locals, it was determined that there is not a strong online community for local stepparents.
Because of the close relationship between Smile Politely and chambanamoms.com, it was decided that the next logical step was to introduce that space to the community in the form of Chambanastepmoms.com.
“We’ve heard from many families over the years about how they’ve felt alienated by the title of our website because it wasn’t inclusive of all kinds of families,” said Laura Weisskopf Bleill, Mom-in-Chief of chambanamoms.com. ”This new resource will help bridge that gap and provide a much needed space for families that may have up to 12 different people parenting one or more children.”
Like on chambanamoms.com, the new website will feature an events calendar and Bleill seems confident it will be a big hit.
“This calendar will make it much easier to interact with other stepparents at various adults only events at local bars and restaurants while their significant other’s kids are off doing whatever.”
Smile Politely Publisher Seth Fein sees Chambanastepmoms.com as a great resource for those couples whose lives are being turned upside down by raising their spawn.
“Personally, I am just anticipating the future,” said Fein. “Turns out, raising children is super duper hard, and takes a lot of attention and work. I am just hedging my bets. If Justine sticks around for another few years, it’d be a miracle. Assuming that all comes to fruition, I am looking forward to having an online community of other step parents to basically raise my child for me.”
Fein’s wife and co-Publisher of Smile Politely, Justine Fein-Bursoni, couldn’t be more thrilled with the opportunity to work with Bleill after spending years tending to her husband’s ego.
“The clock is ticking,” said Fein-Bursoni. ”Working with Laura at Chambanamoms.com has been amazing. Basically, she’s like Seth, except smart, funny, intelligent, and doesn’t cop an attitude when I ask for help with the motherfucking laundry. This partnership makes more sense by the goddamned minute.”
While the collaborative efforts between Smile Politely and chambanamoms.com are in the early stages, Fein and Bleill are putting feelers out for editors and staff writers.
“It’s pretty much a no-brainer that we’ll have to have someone moderating the site and the plan is have a step-parent come on board and oversee the day-to-day operations,” said Fein.
Fein and Bleill plan on launching the site with a party this evening at Mike N Molly’s with a special performance from stepfather + stepson duo Mick Jones (Foreigner) and Mark Ronson.