Relating to Stepchildren

Communicating with Stepchildren Stepping Stones Honest communication is the only policy when it comes to the stepfamily. Withdrawing in an attempt to be self-protective will backfire on you. The family will continue its biological bond, and you'...

Dealing with Your Adolescent Stepchild You can make life around your household easier if you try the following: Don't take it personally. Think of your stepteen as somebody who is hormonally impaired (he is!). Try to be tolerant, and give it tim...

Stepparenting an Adolescent: What to Expect Stepping Stones A little knowledge goes a long way. Understanding what teens are normally like will help you understand when your stepteen is having problems. Misconceptions and Corrections Here's what...

Building a Relationship with Your Stepchildren Once Burnt, Twice Shy It's a challenge to build a close relationship with children who have been emotionally injured because their parents split up—yes, even if it was a long time ago. People are ...

Bonding with Your Stepchild When people get overwhelmed (and stepparenting can certainly be an overwhelming situation), they tend to withdraw and get resentful. I used to hide in the bathroom or bedroom for long periods of time feeling all churn...

Defining Your Role as Stepparent You are now a parent, but how much of one? It's confusing. Are you a real parent, or should you try to just be a friend? Talk to some experts and they'll tell you to always take a secondary role to the bioparent. ...

Learning to Communicate with Stepchildren Soon after you move in, you may face your first big experience with stepfamily conflict. You may feel resentful or shut out, the kids may feel rejected and furious, and your Sweetie may feel utterly and ...

Winning Over Your Partner's Child Who should you be when you are around your date's children? Besides the obvious answer (“You should be yourself”), there are some other things to consider, and to strive for: Stepping Stones As you think abo...

This type of response to a stepparent's setting limits are a child's way of manipulating and are very normal. ...

An expert advises a mother what steps to take with her boyfriend, to avoid hurting her son. ...

Where can a stepparent turn to gain an understanding of a child's ADHD and treatment? ...