According to an article in our sister Caxton publication, Essentials magazine, one in three of us belongs to a stepfamily.

The magazine offers these tips:

Be realistic
* Don’t expect the energy, time and love you give to your partner’s children to be returned immediately: affection and trust have to be earned.
* Do treat your new stepchildren as you would your nieces and nephews; with warmth, interest and connection – but never as if you’re their new mom.

Maintain traditions

* Don’t ignore the old traditions, but don’t let them stop you from making new ones as your new family develops.
* Do let the kids set their own agenda – after all, they didn’t ask for their existing family to be turned on its head.

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: How to raise a child living with diabetes

Agree on a strategy.
* Don’t disobey the ground rules you’ve set with your partner.
* Do set rules as a family. Simon and I sat the kids down and agreed that whoever the lone adult was, they’d be in charge.

Spend some time apart

* Don’t ignore your own child. Your kids need personal time with you, not just to talk about what’s worrying them, but to have fun.
* Do let your stepchildren enjoy time with their parent. It shows you do want them to be happy.

Give them respect
* Don’t forget that kids can be selfish, sometimes even nasty, because they don’t know how to handle their emotions.
* Do take a step back and enjoy 10 minutes to yourself – you’ll feel refreshed and ready to go again.

To read more on parenting click here!