I thought this article went along with Brian's presentation last week. It had some amazing statistics in my opinion. I've never really stopped to think before how may stepfamilies there are now. The stat that really surprised me was that more than 2,100 new stepfamilies are created every day! I knew it was becoming more and more common, but I didn't think it was that much!
I appreciated that they brought out the points that a stepfamily is different from a traditional family. Many people go into it thinking that since they've been through a marriage once, they can use what they learned from that first marriage. To a degree that is probably true - some things they learned the first time, would help the second time. However, it will be more complicated, with new problems and with some of the past history and baggage.
It will be interesting to watch more legislation and hopefully more education start to take place as this issue continues to grow. What are some of the first things you think need to happen to change how things are currently being taken care of?
Good article. Short and to the point(s). I saw many of these families for therapy while a clinician. The statement that it can take years for a stepfamily to jell is so true. One must have commitment and patience to work it out.
ReplyDeletePolicymakers have been slow to address the needs of stepfamilies. Much more could be done. Transitions are among the most stressful times of our lives.