Congratulations! You and your kids are moving in with your serious partner or new spouse’s family. No matter how well you get along when hanging out, living together will always be another story.
While it may be an exciting time, it can also be very stressful. To help you out, here are some tips to combine you and your spouse’s families so you can join the ranks of successful blended families in the country.
What Are Blended Families?
Blended families are also known as stepfamilies. This is when you and a partner take the step to combine your families as one; this means all of your children will be siblings, even if they’re not blood-related.
Make Holidays a Group Effort
When all your children consider you Mom, it can aid them in forming close bonds. For instance, if Mother’s Day is coming up, everyone can participate in picking out a gift, even the children who aren’t biologically yours. If they don’t have to sit on the sidelines, there won’t be room for jealousy and fights.
Discuss Parenting Styles Before Blending Families
You and your partner’s parenting styles may not be the same. Even if they’re similar, you can still have key differences in handling certain situations.
Sit down and discuss all possible aspects of parenting and come to an agreement about how issues should be resolved. When you have a united front, it’ll be harder for the kids to favor one parent over another.
Consider Adoption
Some children may feel resentment when they feel like they’re the legitimate children of only one parent. To alleviate this issue, consider adoption. By working with an adoption attorney, you can unite your blended family in a legal way.
When you adopt your spouse’s children or vice versa, it’s a good move to show that both parents are serious about including everyone in the family. When all the kids under one roof are all considered legal offspring of you, this can help everyone bond together more easily, with fewer jealousy issues.
Don’t Be Hurt by Your Kids’ Actions
Some kids don’t react well to change, and it may be hard for them to adjust at first. This can cause them to lash out at both parents. Don’t take it personally; just be there to support your children and reassure them that they’ll always be loved, no matter how big the family gets.
Recognize That It’s a Long and Fulfilling Journey
You may be eager to be another one of the happy blended families you’ve always heard about, but realize that it may take some time to get there. If you try to rush things, it may inadvertently hinder your progress to combine your families.
Instead, take the above tips and use them when you feel it’s appropriate to. With enough time, love, and hard work, you’ll get the blended family you’ve always wished for.
Have you just had a baby with your spouse and want to take perfect pictures? Then take a look at our eight tips!
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I love this article. I believe that it is also important for a step family to start seeing a therapist from the word go. This helps the family to manage their expectations because a step family cannot function like a normal family with children having both biological parents. A step family requires more input but its doable and very fulfilling.