Reality Star Reflects on Stepmom Journey with Barker Kids
Kourtney Kardashian has opened up about the joys and challenges of blending families with husband Travis Barker, revealing that while she “loves” her role as a stepmother, the transition wasn’t always smooth. The 46-year-old Lemme founder candidly discussed her experiences during an appearance on sister Khloé Kardashian’s podcast “Khloé in Wonder Land,” where she shared insights into her parenting approach.
“I love my role as stepmom, because I don’t feel like it’s up to me to discipline,” Kardashian explained, noting that she and Barker have established clear boundaries in their co-parenting relationship. “We’ve kind of allowed each other to—we’ll talk about it, he can handle the harder things,” according to Yahoo News.
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From Friendship to Family
The reality star, who shares sons Mason (15), Reign (10), and daughter Penelope (12) with ex Scott Disick, as well as 18-month-old son Rocky with Barker, explained that her pre-existing friendship with Barker and his children led her to believe the transition to a blended family would be seamless. She acknowledged that this assumption was somewhat naive.
“I used to think too going into it, ‘Oh, we have such a good foundation that it would just be seamless,'” Kardashian admitted. “But some days I’ve thought, ‘Wow, this is really hard, blending families.'” The couple took a gradual approach to merging households, living separately but nearby for approximately a year and a half after their marriage before fully combining their living arrangements.
Finding Her Role as a Stepmother
Kardashian has embraced her role in the lives of Barker’s children: son Landon (21), daughter Alabama (19), and stepdaughter Atiana (25), whom he shares with ex-wife Shanna Moakler. Rather than imposing strict rules, she focuses on being a positive influence and supportive presence in their lives.
“I definitely give advice or try to be a good role model, or even just how they say modeling is the best way to kind of teach your kids more than just saying certain things,” she explained. This approach seems to be working well, as evidenced by the warm Mother’s Day tribute she received from Alabama Barker earlier this month.
A Message of Appreciation
Alabama’s heartfelt message to her stepmother highlighted the close bond they’ve developed. “Happy Mother’s Day to someone who chose to love me like her own,” the 19-year-old wrote on her Instagram Stories. “You stepped into my life with patience, care, and an open heart, and I’m so grateful for everything you’ve done to support and guide me.”
The teenager continued her tribute by acknowledging Kardashian’s consistent presence in her life: “Your presence has brought comfort, strength, and so much love, and I truly appreciate the role you’ve played in my life. Thank you for showing up, for listening, and for being someone I can count on. You mean more to me than you know.”
Evolution of Their Relationship
The relationship between Kardashian and her stepchildren has developed organically over time. Alabama first referred to Kardashian as her “stepmom” during an Instagram Live in July 2021, months before Travis and Kourtney were officially engaged. That casual reference hinted at the comfortable dynamic that had already formed between them.
Since then, the blended family has been spotted on numerous vacations and outings together, including trips to Disneyland, fashion events, and holiday celebrations. While Kardashian admits there have been challenging days, she emphasized that “even in the days that are hard, there’s so much more love. It’s such a deeper, richer existence.”
A Gradual Transition
Kardashian revealed that the physical merging of households was intentionally slow. “We moved out of our house that we had lived in for the kids’ whole lives and then moved in there, and sharing space,” she explained. “Which we did slowly, we stayed I think a year and a half separately, but married, but living a block away from each other. So I think that was really a helpful transition.”
Khloé Kardashian added her own perspective during the podcast, noting that regardless of prior relationships, children will always test boundaries when family dynamics shift. This insight seemed to resonate with Kourtney as she reflected on their journey to becoming one cohesive family unit.
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