Typical courting and newly-wedded stepfamily co-parents and their supporters are unaware of (a) how different typical stepfamilies are from intact biofamilies, and of (b) the hazards they face. They don't realize that these differences usually mean...

The odds of legal or psychological re/divorce are high without working on Lessons 1 thru 7 for many months.

Several or all adults carry significant psychological wounds, promoting ongoing family stress.

Many traditional biofamily norms cause stepfamily stress, and must be negotiated and revised.

Stepfamily child-discipline can differ from biofamily discipline in up to 20 ways.

Typical co-parents can find little infor-med community and media help.

Typical stepkids may have over 50
concurrent developmental and family-adjustment needs to fill.

Adults and kids must form and stabilize up to 16 alien new roles and related rules.

Typical adults can hold up to 60 toxic myths about stepfamily realities - and not know it.

Kids' "other parents" (ex mates) are full stepfamily members for decades.

All adults and kids need to grieve major losses, and are often blocked from doing so.

Steppeople need new skills and knowledge to resolve many alien loyalty. membership, and values conflicts and divisive relationship triangles.

Step-adults and kids must merge and stabilize three or more biofamilies over several years, with few guidelines.