The Blended Family Experience
Becoming a member of a blended family is not a choice you are given. It is the results of a liaison or agreement between your parent and another person that will affect everyone's lives. Some changes are for the better and some more difficult to deal with. My hopes in writing these articles is that I can help find ways to make life easier, more fulfilling and enjoyable within the blended family.
It's my hope that I'll receive feedback from my readers with your personal experiences and ideas on how to make life within a blended family a really unique and growing experience for all of us.
Yes, I'm a member of a blended family. I am the middle child, which that status in itself is a challenge. When my older brother left for college a few years back I was ecstatic at becoming the 'oldest' in house. Then Mom and Dad divorced, and my role changed. I became not only the oldest, but the man of the house. My younger brother is 5 years younger than me, so he was no challenge to my authority. He looked up to me somewhat, and when he didn't, I made sure he knew who was bigger and who was stronger. Although I was a little upset with the divorce, I knew it was for the best and that I'd still get to see my Father whenever I wanted, and that Mother would be much happier, too.
I was in high school and life was pretty sweet there for awhile. Then Mom met (let's call him "Dave"). Mom and Dave dated for a few months. I got along just fine with Dave, although he was retired military and pretty stiff in my views. But he was a pretty good guy overall, and he helped me with my pitching, went to all my baseball, basketball and track events, and would give me a big bear hug (which I was not used to) every now and then. I knew he was trying real hard to impress me and be my friend because of my Mother. I didn't like to admit it, but I could tell he really loved my Mom, and that she was crazy about him. I could tolerate him, in other words. Less than two years after the divorce Mom and Dave told me they were getting married.
Dave has three children. One daughter is from his first marriage and lives 500 miles away, so I hadn't met her at the time. She has three little ones of her own, so Mom was going to become an instant grandmother, and I an instant Uncle. His other two children were from his second marriage. One was 19 years old and still living at home, and the youngest was 16, a couple years older than me at the time.
Latest Articles