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A stepfamily includes at one or more stepkids and stepparents and living or dead ex mates. The prefix "step" comes from the Old English stoep, meaning "not related by blood." Sociologists guesstimate that modern U.S. stepfamilies break up more often than biofamilies. Some estimates are a high as 70%, tho there's no credible data to support this. Regardless - stepfamily rela-tionships are often much more complex and stressful than biofamily relationships. This is specially true of co-parenting average minor and grown step-kids. All stepfamily adults and their supporters need to be aware of (a) five related hazards that will stress all their kids and grownups over time, and of (b) options for mastering them together. Average divorcing-family and stepfamily members are specially vulnerable to the toxic effects of the [wounds + unawareness] cycle. Lesson 7 in this nonprofit Web site builds on clinical research since 1979 and Lessons 1 thru 6 here. It offers specific suggestions on how to build a stable high-nurturance stepfamily over time, and avoid probable re/divorce. This vital work begins in courtship, with mates choosing the right people to commit to, for the right reasons, at the right time. |
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