The In itial Shock

Surviving the initial shock of the stepfamily can be one of the major

steps toward a stepparent’S overall survival．A stepparent’S entry Into a

new stepfamily unit may tum out to be one of life’S most terrifying

experiences．Stepparents everywhere ask the same questions．”Willit

ever get any better?””Am I the only one going through this type of

conflict?”While there are no guarantees the situation will improve

after the initial shock has subsided。people usually do leam to adjust

to their new circumstances．

Statistics tell US that any adult who reads this iS a stepparent，IS

considering the idea．or has a close friend or relative who iS a steppar—

ent．If you are not already”one of the above，”the odds are you will be

sometime during your lifetime．

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics show a mar-

riage rate of 9．7 per l，000 and a divorce rate of 4．8 per 1，000；i．e．，叩e

of two marriages fails．

Stepfamilies，also referred to as blended families，bi—nuclear fami—

lies．and reconstituted families，are formed whenever parents remarry．

This iS a worldwide phenomenon，but it iS most common in the United

States．Each year approximately 1．5 million people in the United States

remarry．Most bring children to the new marriage．90％of divorced

women with children remarry，and studies reveal that more divorced

men remarry than divorced women．

Almost 40％of all children born in America today will end up in a

stepfamily before they reach the age of 1 8．There are more than 3 5 mil—

lion stepparents in the United States．According to Ann Landers，when a

second marriage breaks up it usually iS caused by the children．