No one would ever argue that being a mother or a father is easy, but to try and raise a child that you yourself didn't bring into the world — that is truly a divine calling.
The fact of the matter is that stepparents don't get nearly enough love and credit as they deserve. So in order to show appreciation where appreciation is due, here are 15 celebrities who are proud to be stepparents.
Barbra became the stepmother to Josh Brolin back in 1998. Since then, she and Josh have grown incredibly close — so much so that Josh wound up buying a home just down the street from his parents in order to be close by.
"The only way I can describe it — it sounds stupid, but at the end of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, you know how his heart grows, like, five times its size? Everything is full; it’s just full all the time," Matt told Parade magazine.
Gabrielle knew that Dwayne and his kids were a package deal. She said the greatest lesson she learned as a stepmother early on was to not try and replace their mother. You have to be consistent and always let them know where you stand.
"I've been a stepmom for almost 11 years," Kate said on The Talk. "My stepdaughter's name is Jasper, and I have watched her grow up from about 12 years old until, she's 24 now, and she is the light of my life. She really is. I'm so proud of her."
Catherine is the stepmother to her husband Michael Douglas' son, Cameron. On the first day that the two of them met, Catherine explained how all she wanted to be was Cameron's friend, and that he would always be welcomed in their home.
Blake grew up with a stepfather of his own, and he's always loved and adored him. The country singer gushed about how his stepfather was one of his heroes and is now an inspiration for Blake to be the same to Gwen Stefani's children.
Will Smith has a son from his previous marriage named Trey. Jada has said that in order for her to love Trey to the fullest, she had to first learn to love the woman he cares more for than anyone else — his mother.
Ashton helped his ex-wife, Demi Moore, raise three teenage girls all throughout their adolescence. He's gone on record stating that just because he's no longer with their mother doesn't mean that he'll ever stop cheering them on.
"Being a stepdad...has taught me, really, what love is like, what life is really like, how God intends us to love," Russell said on Good Morning America. "One of the greatest gifts in the world is children."
Gisele lovingly refers to her stepson Jack as her bonus child. She said that Jack helped to open her heart in ways she never would've imagined possible and that she couldn't picture her life without him in it.
Kelly Clarkson is the first one to admit that she can sometimes take a firm stance, just like her mother before her. The former American Idol winner often gushes about her stepkids on social media and absolutely adores being a mother figure to them.
"Right now I am a stepmom to three amazing kids," Eva explained to E! News. "And I've had my hands full, and they are amazing and wonderful. It's been a lot of fun, a lot of fun being a stepmom."
Kurt has raised Oliver and Kate Hudson since they were small children, both of whom praise Kurt for being the only father they've ever known, and for all of the love and dedication he's shown them over the years.
Alicia Keys always loved her husband Swiss Beatz's children, but she never really enjoyed the moniker of stepmom. Instead, Swiss' kids refer to her as Umi, which is the Arabic word for mother. It's got a nice ring to it, according to Alicia.
Even though Jason and Lisa Bonet are no longer together, he still takes his role as a stepfather incredibly seriously. When the time came to celebrate Zoë during the premiere of The Batman, Jason was there with bells on.
