Blending Families After Divorce

Marriage and then divorce are becoming a more common way of life for couples, and those who have children are not barred from finding someone new to love. When the new couple chooses to marry, they must suddenly create a new life for them and their children from former relationships. It can be a difficult situation for everyone involved as the couple tries to work out how to handle situations that arise. Blending families together looks great on a television show, but the heartache and happiness are not always easy to get through on a daily basis.

Children with divorced parents often feel a loss of stability in their lives, and having one or both of their parents suddenly married to people they consider strangers can cause anxiety. If there are other children added to the mix when they visit or where they live, it can be worse quickly. Children are often unable to state or even know what is bothering them, so they act out rather than discuss their feelings like adults. Parents and stepparents must deal find effective ways to help them adjust.

Raising one’s own children can be a trial some days, but trying to cope with a new spouse’s children can make a stepparent feel powerless. They might have their own idea of what constitutes good parenting, but they might find their spouse disagrees. Arguing in front of the children is not a good idea, but finding time for private discussions can be nearly impossible.

Blending children from different families into one cohesive unit is not always a smooth process, but parents can find professional guidance. There have been plenty of examples over the last few decades for child psychologists and behavioral experts to help parents find ways to ease anxiety for the children, and many of them can give advice on easing the tensions that may develop within the relationship as the process goes forward.