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Stepping Stones for Stepfamilies for Parents1
Adapted by Millie Ferrer2This document is best viewed as a PDF. Click here to access the PDF.
For Parents
Parenting can be a challenge in any family, but living in a stepfamily can add more issues to the parenting role. Children look at the world differently than adults. Partners forming step-families expect joy, peace and happiness that may have been lost in earlier relationships. Children may view the stepfamily much differently.Much of what children understand depends on their age. At each age, there are certain feelings and reactions that children will experience. For some children it is a happy event to have a new family with more people around. For others, the many changes and uncertainties are difficult and challenging. Generally, children ages 9 to 15 may have the hardest time adapting to a new family situation.
Research indicates that it can take four years or more for a stepfamily to seem like a family. It can even take 18 to 24 months for children to be friendly to a new stepparent. There are many differences, many personalities and many difficult situations. That is very normal.
Learning to handle new relationships in a positive way enables the stepfamily to move toward the happiness which the partners are seeking. Stepfamilies must work at being understanding and flexible, and develop a style of their own.
What can the adults in a stepfamily do to work toward the happiness that they are seeking?
Stepping Stones for the Adult in a Stepfamily
- Take your time, and expect love and care to come slowly through shared experiences with stepchildren.
- Discipline may work better if the biological parent takes the lead with the stepparent's support until the stepparent-stepchild relationship is stronger.
- Give your family and yourself permission to try things differently. Since there are no rules or perfect ways to be a stepfamily, find out what "fits" for your family.
- Expect negotiation and conflict to be part of everyday life in a stepfamily.
- Give children accurate information about what is happening in the new family that is appropriate for their age and stage of development.
- Discuss rules and roles, and make them clear so that the children understand what is expected.
- Try to understand children's feelings, especially when they are not what you expected.
- Expect family members to grieve over the loss of their old family, or the loss of living like a first-time married family. Talk about these feelings.
- Share negative statements and feelings about the absent parent with someone other than the child.
- Assure the children that love is not limited. They can like or love all the members of the family, including a stepparent, and still love and care about the absent parent.
- Spend time alone with each child and in various combinations of family members. But, do not force togetherness, especially with teenagers.
- Learn as much as possible about child development and effective parenting and stepparenting practices.
- Work cooperatively with the absent parent--far in advance-- to make the needed arrangements for holidays and other special occasions.
- Build your own stepfamily traditions. Include family members in discussions about changing old traditions.
Stepping Stones for the Couple in a Stepfamily
- Pay close attention to your couple relationship. Schedule time together on a daily and weekly basis.
- Keep fun and romance in your relationship.
- Present a united front to the children when dealing with expectations and discipline.
- Take turns actively listening to each others' concerns without becoming defensive.
- Consider granting a limited power of attorney to the stepparent for use in emergencies.
- Communicate about family finances with your partner on a regular basis.
- Review all insurance policies for coverage and beneficiary status.
- Review and revise your wills or make one if you do not have one.
- Join a support group for stepfamilies if you would like support from others having stepfamily experiences.
- Seek professional financial and counseling services, if necessary, to help you over major hurdles.
- Keep your sense of humor. A little laughter can brighten the day.
Want to Know More?
A home study course for stepfamilies with children in the home and other stepfamily resources are available through your local county extension office.Other Resources
The Stepfamily Association of America (SAA) has a comprehensive catalog of resources on divorce, remarriage and custody issues.Call 1-800-735-0329 to request a catalog. Or, for an online catalog on the Internet, go to: http://www.stepfam.org .
Acknowledgements
Building Strong Stepfamilies from Cornell University Cooperative Extension, Broome County, NY, was used as a resource for this publication.Thanks to M. Gayle Price for her review of this factsheet.
Thanks to Paula Seele and Karen Hunter for layout assistance and graphic design.
Prepared by Charlotte Shoup Olsen, Ph.D. Extension Specialist, Family Systems, School of Family Studies and Human Services, Kansas State University.
Supported by a grant from the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, Hutchinson, KS.
Footnotes
1. This document is FCS2175, one of a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), University of Florida. This material was reprinted with permission of Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service. Publication: May 2000. Reviewed February 2006. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.2. Adapted for use in Florida by Millie Ferrer, Ph.D., associate dean, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida. Reviewed by: Eboni Baugh, Ph.D., assistant professor, Human Development, Family, Youth & Community Sciences department, Cooperative Extension Service, IFAS, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.
Copyright Information
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