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Step Questions
Remarriage and Stepfamilies

Fairy tales have been unkind to stepmothers. Popular television sit-coms make blended families look like one laugh after another. Somewhere in between is the challenge of establishing warm and deep step relations in a society where most people remarry within three years of being divorced and more than half of all Americans have been or are or will be members of a stepfamily. The romance is between two adults, but often one or both come with children. As you work together to establish equality in your relationship, remember you are creating a new family with everyone called upon to play unfamiliar roles.

Essential things to do:

  • Discuss beforehand how your obligations to your children may affect equality in your marriage.

  • Let everyone in the new stepfamily get to know each other before you marry.

  • Encourage children to express and deal with their feelings but don't use them as messengers or pawns.

  • Make sure you spend time alone together and demonstrate affection often.

  • Use shared roles and responsibilities in a stepfamily to build equality in marriage.

  • Strive for equality in your relationship even if you remarry "for" your children.

For more information on stepfamilies visit http://www.stepfam.org/faqs/faqs.htm


 


Actions In New Relationships

Get It In Writing
 
 

Don't Make the Same Mistake Twice
 
Marriage Preparation
 
Mastering Communication
 
Remarriage Etiquette
 
Step Questions
 
Going - and Staying - Solo
 
 

Do You Share Spiritual Values?