| stepfathers |
| issues |
 |
| a stepfather’s main challenge The fun part of being a stepfather is that there are no set rules. A biological dad has a prescribed set of responsibilities, an established area of authority, and – theoretically – 50% of the power. On the other hand, a stepfather could spend years figuring out if he’s allowed to ask the kids to clean their room. In the old days, stepfathers just moved in on the biological dad’s territory and took over where he left off. This is the way to go if you have a deathwish. However, if you plan on getting along with your new family, then tread carefully through this minefield. Hopefully my website will give you fair warning you where the bombs lay. If you read any academic work on stepparenting, you’ll find that their findings are inconclusive – why? Because with stepfamilies, there are so many variables that come into play that researchers can’t find a model on which to base their findings. Your span of responsibility and power will depend upon many things including … How old were the kids when you first moved in? The biological father – is he dead, does he hardly see them, does he live just down the road? Do the kids like you? – they don’t have to. If you have ever read the literature on stepparenting, you’ll find a truckload of material on being a stepmother, and not much on being a stepdad. This always strikes me as funny considering that most stepparents are male. With your help, stepfathers can learn to negotiate a healthy relationship with their family. Support this site, and those on my links page, and we’ll get some work done in the field of stepfatherhood. |