New Babies and Blended Families

According to the Stepfamily Association of America, at least 65 percent of remarriages in the United States involve children from prior marriages. As blended families continue to grow, so can the issues that surround them. Learning to become a family is tricky enough; add a new baby to the mix, and new issues are bound to arise. With time, patience and love, family members can find the dynamic that will work best for them.

Blended families come in a myriad of versions, but they all start with a loss. Prior to the new marriage, a child in a blended marriage has experienced the death or divorce of her parents. In some cases, she never knew one of her biological parents. Either way, she's going to have feelings regarding this loss, and she'll need to express them. Joining a new family can be as scary as it is exciting, and children often wonder how they'll fit in. A child may fear losing her biological parent, especially when her stepparent brings his or her own children to the family. When a new baby is introduced, that's one more person who can take her parent's attention and love, not to mention her new spot in the family structure.