One common theme is acceptance. The stepmom figure often has to be accepted by the family members, especially the children. For example, in many anime, the new stepmom has to prove herself worthy of being part of the family.
One popular stepmom anime story is 'Snow White with the Red Hair'. In it, Shirayuki is a strong - willed girl who enters a new environment and has various relationships, including some complex family - like dynamics that can be related to the idea of a stepmom - like figure in terms of care and guidance.
Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily. Her stepmom was a kind woman. One night, the stepmom sat by Lily's bed and began a bedtime story. 'There was a magical forest, full of glittering fairies and talking animals. The fairies protected the forest with their magic. A brave little rabbit named Benny was lost in the forest. But with the help of the fairies, he found his way home. And that's the end of the story, sweet dreams, Lily.'
One challenge could be adjusting to new rules. The stepmom may have different ideas about things like household chores or curfews compared to what the child was used to. For example, she might be stricter about cleaning up one's room.
The stepmom in a Cinderella story is usually a cold-hearted and jealous woman. She's shown as being unfair to Cinderella and trying to prevent her from having a happy life. This portrayal is common across various adaptations of the tale.