Candace Sutton, a self-styled “unconventional baby mama”, wanted to thank her “son’s other mum”, Taryn, for the care and compassion she has shown to her son, Jaedyn.
“It’s so easy loving children that are yours. But it takes a special kind of woman to love a child that’s not hers,” Sutton wrote in the post shared on the Love What Matters Facebook page on Friday 2 December.
Sutton explained that although she initially “wasn’t in any rush to like” Taryn, she warmed to her over time.
“It was nothing personal, but I just didn’t feel like trying,” she explained.
“I met you through the eyes of my son. I learned to love you because of that.
“I saw the way you stepped in and did what he needed- not because you had to but because you chose to - and words can’t ever express how much I needed you to do that.”
Sutton went on to thank Taryn for being understanding, especially when Jaeydn exhibited “passive and nonchalant behavior”.
“I know it had to be hard learning to be a parent, unexpectedly. But you mastered it,” she added. “You stepped in and took care of business, while maintaining the utmost respect for me.”
Sutton ended her letter by giving Taryn a heartfelt wedding gift.
“Today, Jaedyn is no longer just Mine and David’s,” she wrote. “He’s yours, too.”
The post was liked more than 34,000 times within three days of being posted and it encouraged other families to share their stories of welcoming step-parents into children’s lives.