Most people would be hard-pressed to find someone who does not have a stepparent, step or half-sibling or a stepchild. According to Pew research, 42 percent of adults (102 million) have a step relationship, and when you add the 11.6 million stepchildren in the U.S. (16 percent of all kids), an estimated 113.6 million Americans have stepkin.
Studies currently indicate that 52 percent of married/cohabiting couples with at least one living parent (or parent-in-law) and at least one adult child have a stepkin relationship. This means 52 percent of “sandwich” generation couples have at least one stepparent or stepchild. The percentage is even higher for younger households, with 62 percent of married/cohabiting couples under age 55 having at least one stepkin relationship in the three generations.
Currently, 4 in 10 new marriages involve remarriage, and any couple involved in a remarriage can tell you there are definitely some complicating factors. Extended family is even more extended. Instead of parenting decisions being made between two people, there are typically at least three people involved, if not more. Visitation with the other parent involves consulting more schedules, and co-parenting is often complicated.
In many instances, children find themselves trying to navigate two worlds, attempting to understand why they have to follow different sets of rules at each house. Sometimes parents talk badly about the other parent in front of their children. It can very quickly become confusing and complicated for the children.
“Parents have to remember and accept the fact that while they can end a marriage to someone, they will never stop being parents,” said Ron Deal, speaker and author of “The Smart Stepfamily: Seven Steps to a Healthy Family.”