In the United States today, Stepfamilies are almost as common as nuclear families. Yet few people entering Stepfamily life know what to expect, trying hard to fit into what they “know about families." But as members of Stepfamilies quickly find out, their family does not feel like a normal, nuclear family and often no one understands why. This can lead to confusion, frustration and anger. The challenges that come with living with someone else’s children, handling ex-spouses, demands on your time, different stages of child development and a new marriage are often overwhelming, and Stepparents don’t understand why they begin to feel that they have made a serious mistake, or worse, that they begin to feel like the wicked Stepparent of fairy tales.

Yet, today we do have research that tells us about the normal cycles that Stepfamilies go through and various myths that members of these families hold that are so different from realities. This research helps families learn the predictable hurdles and normalize a situation that does not feel normal. With this knowledge, members of a Stepfamily can acquire skills with which to respond to their Stepfamily's unique demands and which can assist in building a healthier and more nurturing Stepfamily environment.

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