Parenting in a step family

No one said that parenting in a blended or step family is easy; but it is not impossible. The key to parenting is to work together as partners and be consistent with the children. Also, even though you may have biological children, that does not mean you have to treat your step kids any different. The same goes with the other spouse.


Make a plan


Bringing your children into a blended family is like bringing in a new baby into the house. You need to have a game plan with your spouse. How will you discipline the kids? What are boundaries need to be set? Create a plan to at least try to get things moving smoothly.

Discipline the children

Equality is important. Now that you have entered a blended family, you have to learn to treat everyone equally, regardless if they are your biological children or step children. Not having any favorites will be very helpful when disciplining the children since the kids will eventually realize that you mean business and you are consistent with what you want.

It is essential to note here that there are some situations in which the biological parent needs to take the lead when disciplining his/her child. Of course, although the biological parent has taken charge of his or her kid, the step parent should also be there to support the decision of the other.

Uniting a blended family is not always easy, but with the right tactics and a good support system from both spouses, it is definitely possible! For more information on blended or step families, visit The Blended and Step Family Resource Center.