Stepfather Child Relationships
With stepfamilies becoming more commonplace in American households, it is necessary to understand the relationship between the stepfather and the child. In an article from 2009, it was stated that one-third of births occur to unmarried mothers and around half of all marriages are likely to end in divorce (King, 2009). Statistics show fifty percent of American children will live in a household separate from their biological father, and thirty-three percent of children, before the age of eighteen, will spend some portion of their life living in a stepfamily home (King, 2006). Starting in the 1980s, researchers began to study stepfamilies with more interest as the precursor of remarriage shifted from the death
…show more content…
The reader will also learn how the age of the child, the gender of the child, and the type of relationships the child has with their biological parents factor into the relationship between the child and stepfather.
Background
According to Jensen and Shafer, “a stepfamily is formed when a parent forms a relationship, either through cohabitation or remarriage, with a partner who is not the biological mother or father of their child or children” (2013, p. 127). Cohabitation occurs when two people enter into a long-term relationship and live together as if they are in a marriage. Many roles occur within a stepfamily. The role of the biological father, who no longer resides in the same home as his child, is considered a nonresident father. The term stepfather can be applied to any male who marries or is in a long-term live-in relationship with the child’s biological mother. While similarly, a stepmother is a female who marries or is in a long-term live-in relationship with a child’s biological
…show more content…
Jensen and Shafer observed there were two outcomes when the child has a poor relationship with their nonresident father (2013). The first was an increase in the child’s relationship with their stepfather from seeking out a fatherly role model (Jensen & Shafer, 2013). The second was a decrease in the child’s relationship with their stepfather because of the child’s uncertainty and general distrust of all males in their life who try to fill the role of father (Jensen & Shafer, 2013). King’s research also concluded that the entrance of a stepfather does not affect the child’s relationship with their nonresident father
In “When Branches Tangle in a Stepfamily Tree” (2012) Elissa Gootman talks about the life style and the relationship keeping for stepfamilies and members. In general, the stepfamily refers two adults stay in a same house either married or cohabiting with at least one child who is come from previous family (Ch 13, P410).
In this millennial it is very common to see a divided family. People get married, discover their differences and often divorce. Yet, with divorce comes many decisions and often a messy outcome. While this may take a toll on a family, remarriage is another issue of it’s own. “Step parents” is what they call them; although no one is quit sure what the word “step” truly insinuates. The sacristy of a marriage and the bond of a family is metaphorically protected by the beamed structure of a home. It isn’t until you read “Stepdaughters” by Max Apple that you catch a glimpse of the interior complications and obstacles, divorced families often face. The author seamlessly paints the very common mother and teenage daughter tension many families endure. Yet, the story is uniquely told by “stepfather number three trying to stay on the sideline” (132). The author focuses on a few issues that a family (divorced or not) may face: overbearing control, lack of trust, and unwanted change. He does this, by use of temporal setting – the dreaded teenage years – and situation – the exhausted disagreement between the mother and daughter.
I have chosen to use an article from The Huffington Post called How Stepmoms Can Cope With ‘Biological Jealousy’. This is a meaningful article that is intended to explain the struggles that stepmoms and their stepchildren often face. It is noted that the main struggle of the relationship between a step parent and their step children is “Biological Jealousy”. Often the step parent tries to replace or become the primary Parent. The article provides solutions for increasing the moral and creating a stronger bond between children and their step parent.
In the United States today more than one-half of all marriages end in divorce. The purpose of this paper is to examine the reason why women have typically received custody of the children far more often than the fathers. In order to better understand child custody one must first examine how fathers have often times been left out of the picture, and conversely why mothers have had such hard times raising children on their own. This paper will first examine the perspective of a father who has lost custody of his children.
Sweeney, M Megan (2007). Stepfather Families and the Emotional Well-Being of Adolescents. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. Vol 48, No. 1, 33-49
Within his book The Smart Stepfamily: 7 Steps to a Healthy Family, Ron Deal (2014) presents a realistic approach to strengthening stepfamilies through focusing on each individual family member’s needs. Real-world scenarios along with integrating family therapy and biblical truth are used in exploring the many issues that stepfamilies resolve. The crux of Deal’s advice is the need to modify expectations from forming a rapidly blended family to integrating a slow-cooked approach that allows for the time and the coarse hardships that are experienced in developing a healthy stepfamily relationships.
When reading any of Edgar Allen Poe’s works, the reader can almost expect a reoccurring theme that focuses on the questionable sanity of the narrator and the overwhelming presence of death that drives the story to its resolve. The two stories being compared are no exception to this theme as both are built upon the thought driven narrative of a seemingly mad man with a fervor for revenge. In both stories the reader is told of the main character, “The Cask of Amontillado” gives us Montresor and “The Tell-Tale Heart” is simply the narrator of the story, who seek out a character to murder for vague reasons not fully explained to the reader in a way that builds a picture of the way their mind works. As both dictate how and why they plan to commit their crimes, the inner monologue that is provided by a first person narrative paints a picture of the unstable emotional state and irrational thought process that gives the reader insight to how unreliable their account of the story actually is. This unreliable narrative leaves the story open to interpretation on whether or not the act of murder was committed righteously, or simply just the misguided actions of two insane characters.
Research over the years has emphasized the role family has upon children within a family system. The role a mother plays for her children has been researched continuously for decades, often neglecting the impact of the father. With this lack of knowledge surrounding a father's paternal responsibilities and implications as a nurturer, it is important to examine the consequences of their actions on their children's future. Recently, research has begun to include the father's role, in particular to their daughter and features they look for in their romantic counterparts. If this research were to establish that young girls follow their father's prototype when choosing a romantic partner, parenting styles may change and fathers might become more involved. More importantly, fathers would know their role as not just the provider for material things but for emotional and psychological stability. Father daughter relationships are an important area to research because reports show that father involvement can be vital to children, improving their social skills and future adult relationships.
1. Review of the literature on research with emphasis on children and the relationship with stepparents
Policy & Practice, 66(2), 26-26. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.hacc.edu/docview/208198500?accountid=11302 Lyness, D. (2013, September). Becoming a stepparent of your own. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/stepparent.html?tracking=P_RelatedArticle Myers-Walls, J., & Karuppaswamy, N. (2013). The effect of divorce on children: What makes a difference?
Since the beginning of time, fathers have had a profound effect on their child’s development. Over the years, the norm for traditional family dynamics of having a father figure in the household has changed drastically, and so did the roles of the parents. It is not as common as it used to be to have a father or father figure in the home. In this day and age, women are more likely to raise children on their own and gain independence without the male assistance due to various reasons. The most significant learning experience and development of a person’s life takes place in their earlier years when they were children. There are many advantages when there is a mother and father combined in a
The role of a father is more than just another parent at home (Popenoe, 1996). Having a father, the male biological parent in a child’s life is important because it brings a different type of parenting that cannot be replicated by anyone else (Stanton, 2010). Fathers who are present and active in a child’s life provide great benefits to a developing child (Popenoe, 1996). Having a father brings a different kind of love. The love of the father is more expectant and instrumental, different from the love of a mother (Stanton, as cited in Pruett, 1987).
The role of a father in his child’s life extends past the knowledge of far too many, and can oftentimes be eclipsed by the role of the mother. Although the mother’s role is essential and greatly valued in a child’s life and development, the father plays a significant role as well. No mother can fill the father’s place in a child’s heart, for fathers nurture and play differently than a mother. Several studies show that an attendant and highly involved father is critical, especially in the early stages of a child’s life. The absence of a father during this stage can lead to “impaired social and behavioral abilities in adults” (Robert, 2013). But what is the role of the father? This paper discusses the role of the expectant father, the birth experience for him, the transition into fatherhood, and the rise of single fathers.
A stepfamily occurs when parent’s divorce and later remarry bringing children from the previous marriage together to form a new family. In the twenty-first century, a stepchild is considered part of the immediate familial household when the biological parent is detached from the child but the stepparent is available. This is one type of non-traditional family. While they may not be traditional they can be equally supportive and caring. Multigenerational families are a group of relatives that live together and share in the household chores. Many families are now opting to move senior parents into their own homes instead of a retirement community because the bonds that have been generated throughout life help the seniors state of mind. A complex family has three or more adults living in the same household plus their children. This can happen through divorce and remarriage and through polygamy in countries where polygamy is legal. Adults that for various reasons cannot have children bring a child into their home to love and care for or one parent can legally adopt the biological child of the other parent. This is considered an adopted family and while there may be no blood relation it still has legal viability. Fosterage is also a branch of adoption where a family will temporarily bring another child into their home until more permanent
Does a child need both parents? Does a young boy need a father figure around? Does the government provide help for single parents? What role do step-parents and step-siblings play? With much speculation, this topic has become a very intriguing argument.