Building a relationship with my stepson Caleb wasn’t easy, especially after his mom passed away. It took years of patience, trust, and love before he finally started calling me “Mom.” But lately, it feels like all of that is slipping away—because of one old voice recorder.I asked him to clean the garage. Ten minutes later, I heard a crash, then a scream, then silence. I ran out and found him kneeling next to a toppled shelf, holding a dusty recorder.

“It turned on when it hit the ground,” he said.Then I heard her voice—his mother’s. Laughing. Talking. Like she had never left.Since that day, he plays it constantly—morning, night, whenever he’s alone. It’s like she’s moved back in. I try to be patient, because I know he misses her. But every time I hear her voice, it feels like I’m losing him all over again. After everything we’ve been through, I can’t help but wonder—am I losing the bond we worked so hard to build?

Is it wrong to ask him to stop? Or should I let her stay, through that tiny speaker, just a little longer?If you’re in a situation like this, here are some gentle ways to cope:

Instead of asking him to turn it off, ask if you can listen with him. That shows you’re not trying to erase her. It might also help you understand what she meant to him.fterward, ask something simple, like “How does it make you feel when you hear her voice?” That opens the door for a real conversation without putting pressure on him.Be honest, but calm. Say something like, “I want you to remember her. But hearing her voice all day is hard for me. I don’t want to feel like I’m disappearing again.”Remind him that it’s okay to love both of you. Kids in blended families sometimes feel guilty for getting close to a stepparent. Reassure him that remembering his mom doesn’t mean pushing you away.It may take time. But if your bond is built on love, it’s not broken—it’s just bending.