America bought it, romanticizing their uniqueness. Today, there is nothing unique about combined families, the numbers having risen dramatically in the last thirty years. The rise in combined families has opened our collective eyes to just how fictitious The Brady Bunch truly was. In the beginning, liking each other may very well take a backseat to learning how to overcome power struggles and tolerate each other. The dynamics of step families differs with each personality.
Clashes are inevitable.
Most of these conflicts are rooted in insecurity, brought on by uncertainty. Kids coming into a combined family are most often those who have endured either a divorce between their natural parents or the death of a parent. Their emotional senses have been brought to new heights. The foundation they once held as stable and solid is gone, and life is no longer routine. Stepparents often find themselves the brunt of these kids' frustrations and fears.