Ralph lives between the homes of his divorced parents. He has three stepmothers as his father remarries multiple times. Though the living situation is complicated and unsettling, Ralph is able to get along with his stepmothers and their families. He accepts the changes and responsibilities of his parents' divorce without complaint, adapting to his schedule of visiting each home on different weekdays.

1. Ralph’s Story:
A Tale of Three
Stepmothers

2. Ralph’s Family Tree
George
Mom
Ann
Doug
Joe
Tom
Flora
Janet
Annabel
Howard
EdwardRalph
Victor
AliciaFelicia

3. THEMES

4. Phenomena of children living in two
homes with two separate families
 This has become a new phenomena where children of divorced parents shuttle back and
forth between their parents home.
 We can see as in the case of Ralph which it is bound to give rise to complications and
problems.
 There can be no doubt that it is very unsettling to children’s lives.
 Who knows what traumas they suffer and how this will impact their future relationships
with their own spouses.
 Ralph has to visit two different homes:
“On Mondays and Thursdays I go directly to Dad’s place after school. And every
other weekend Mum drives me there…”, “On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, on the
other hand, I go straight home to Mum’s…”
…which is very confusing for both parents and child.

5. Acceptance and Tolerance
 Although Ralph has to live with many different stepmothers, along with their
children from previous marriages, he is able to live with them peacefully and cope
easily with them too.
 He can get along well with all his stepmothers although they have unusual habits
and lifestyles
 He also can adapt to changes easily, despite his brothers opinions of their
stepmothers.

6. Responsibility
 Marriage entails responsibility.
 In building a family, it includes providing shelter, clothing, education and love.
 Therefore, if a marriage is broken, children would be directly affected.
 Parents therefore must accept that they still have a responsibility to ensure that the
divorce does not cost their children more than it already has.
 One of the ways this is shown is by the turns or visits the children have with their
new families.
 Ralph has a more hectic and complicated schedule.
 He has to divide the weekdays to shuffle his time between his parents.
 Even so, he pretty much accepts his situation without complaints.