Today, stepfamilies are almost as common as nuclear families in the U.S. Yet few people realistically know what to expect as they begin stepfamily life together. When hope and optimism meet daily realities, feelings of confusion anger and frustration often arise. These feelings can come from the challenges of creating bonds with someone else's children, learning to share parenting with a new partner and helping children adjust to a new stepparent.

Much is known about how stepfamilies develop over time. You can learn to recognize predictable hurdles and acquire skills with which to response to a stepfamily's unique demands. Education and information are helpful in assisting you in building a healthy and nurturing stepfamily.