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	<title>Better Relationships &#187; stepdad</title>
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	<link>https://www.better-relationships.com</link>
	<description>Marriage &#38; Couples Counseling, Psychotherapy, Premarital Counseling</description>
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		<title>From Single Life to Stepparent: 5 Tips to Help You Adjust</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/from-single-life-to-stepparent-5-tips-to-help-you-adjust/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/from-single-life-to-stepparent-5-tips-to-help-you-adjust/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Mar 2018 22:56:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[COMMUNICATION]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PARENTING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WOMEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marriage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stepchildren]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stepdad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stepkids]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stepmom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stepparent]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Marrying the love of your life is always exciting. And while it’s very possible to achieve happiness, giving up your single life is a huge adjustment. Becoming a stepparent at the same time can make the challenges even greater. Consider these 5 tips to help you adjust. 1. Don’t Assume You Know How to Stepparent While you may be eager to assume a parenting role, keep in mind that you’ve remained single up to this point and you probably know very little about day-to-day demands that most children make on parents. Although you may have spent nights or weekends together, everyone in the home still has to adjust once you move in, and this change probably won’t happen overnight. It will take time for the children and your spouse to adjust to seeing you there every day and adjusting  to your new stepparent role. Even though you’ve already spent time with the children, once you move in each one will require different parenting approaches and each may want their own unique relationship with you. Boys and girls have different emotional, relational and psychological needs and this varies depending on their age. Depending on their age, it&#8217;s normal for stepchildren to expect you to understand what they need and to provide it. You can help them (and yourself) realize that this will take time. 2. Be Consistent with Your Partner on House Rules As it is with most parents, it’s important that you and your spouse agree on house rules and how these will be enforced. It helps if both of you, together, meet with the children and make sure everyone understands boundaries and consequences. Your spouse needs to clarify to the kids when you have full authority to set limits and when you can discipline them.  Children have a unique talent of trying to ‘split’ parents, and clarifying rules and boundaries up front can help prevent this. For example, let’s say your spouse isn’t home and the house rule is lights are out by 10 PM. The kids may try complaining that the other parent let them stay up later. [&#8230;]]]></description>
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