•February 23, 2022•
Cheri Burcham
Extension Educator
University of Illinois Extension

I would like to share this article written by Eastern Illinois University graduate student, Kayli Worthey. Kayli says: While conflict is bound to happen in all family structures, blended families encounter many unique challenges. Knowing what to expect can help address issues before they spiral out of control. Growing up in a blended family was anything but simple. I witnessed arguments between co-parents, legal disputes, scheduling challenges, and even felt jealous of my half-siblings and territorial of my parents and home. It was not until I got older that I realized the blessings blended families hold. Every family gathering is filled with laughter, guidance, support, and most of all love. While we may not all share DNA, we are family and that is the best gift that life can offer.
A blended family, also known as stepfamily, is a family where at least one parent has children from a previous relationship, making the child(ren) not biologically or adoptive related to the other spouse (Kumar, 2017). Often, blended families are created after remarriage. According to a study done by the Pew Research Center, 42% of the 2,691 participating adults have a step-relationship including stepparents, step- or half-siblings, or a stepchild(ren) (2011). The Pew Research Center also found that 16% of children are living in a blended family where at least one household member is a stepparent, stepsibling, or half-sibling (2015).     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.