Handout 22
Stresses for children in repartnered families
TABLE OF CONTENTS | MAP | CSA HOME
1. Hearing the separated parents argue (over the telephone, at the door, etc.) and saying negative things. They may wonder if they're to blame for this.
2. Not being allowed to see their other parent, and resenting their step-parent for this.
3. Feeling blamed for everything that goes wrong in the new family.
4. Hearing their parent and step-parent fighting, and fearing that this relationship will break up too.
5. Seeing their parent do more for the stepsiblings than for them.
6. Having stepsiblings get into their belongings and intrude on their space and privacy.
7. Dealing with the feeling of not being wanted (often testing to see if either household wants them).
8. Feeling angry and depressed, and wishing it could all be the way it was before.
9. Having a step-parent who tells them what to do. Feeling resentful about this.
Adapted from: Gerrard, I., and Howden, M., Making Stepfamilies Work - A Course for Couples, Stepfamily Association of Victoria Inc., 1998 Melbourne.