Relationships Take Time Weekend visits make it difficult to establish long-lasting loving relationships. It isn t essential to love stepkids, but it is important to show kindness and honesty. Don t try to force a loving response from them. If stepparents try too hard, they can end up driving their stepchildren away. On Many stepparents are so afraid of being rejected by the kids or disapproved of their spouses that they become a doormat.
Stepparents have every right to be treated with respect and expect certain behavior from children.
If parents don t get involved, it is easy for the children to think the stepparent doesn t want a relationship with them. If a stepparent refuses to take part in the control of the children, they really shouldn t criticize them to the other parent. It takes a lot of compromise and it s easy for the natural parent to end up in the middle. It is ultimately up to the natural parent to establish visitation and then follow it. If the children are seen as a burden and ties are broken, then the stepparent s options are limited.