Few things cut as deeply in stepmotherhood as trying to do your best — and still feeling shut out. You might be warm, respectful, and consistent…and yet experience distance, testing behaviour, or moments that leave you wondering where you stand. When this happens, many stepmums quietly ask themselves: What am I doing wrong? Often, the answer is: nothing. What you’re seeing is not rejection of you — it’s a child navigating loss, loyalty, and change in the only way they know how.