Remarried and Step Families

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Remarried and Step Families

• Read Ch. 13 of text

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Definitions

• Remarriage The recoupling of one partner from a
  previous relationship in a new marriage.
• Step families At least one of the recoupling
  adults has one or more children from a prior
  relationship and the children spend time in the
  adults household.

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Definitions

• Extended step family network The households
  linked together by traditional extended family
  ties and the relationships with the
  nonresidential father.

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Demographics

• One half of all U.S. marriages are remarriages.
• 75 of divorced people remarry.
• Men have higher rates than women.
• Older women less likely to remarry.
• Remarriage rates are dropping.
• Cohabitation is increasing.

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Demographics

• Remarriages take place less than 4 years after
  divorce.
• Remarriages tend to be less stable than first
  marriages.
• Re-divorce rate is highest in families where both
  partners have children from a previous marriage.

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Demographics

• Half of remarriages include children.
• 1/3 of children today will live in a stepfamily
  home before 18.
• 40 of women will be a stepchild or stepparent
  sometime in their lives.
• ½ million people older than 65 remarry every year.

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Remarriage Stability

• Higher conflict, especially over children
• Lack social support
• Personality
• Divorce is viewed as a solution

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Case scenario
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What are the stressors?

• Financial
• Parent-child
• Ex-spouses
• School system

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What are the resources?

• Mother
• Communication skills
• Earnings, benefits, stable employment
• Sense of unity but permeable boundaries
• Self-esteem
• Cooperation about the children

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Difficulties to be aware of

• Problems in school
• Emotional problems
• Adolescents externalizing problems
• But most stepchildren are okay!

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When and why kids have problems

• Conflicts
• Stressed parents
• Many moves
• Economic hardships
• Not enough time with supportive
  parents/stepparents

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What can they do?

• Agree on parenting roles
• Act like parentsbe warm and supportive,
  supervise and monitor children
• Work out marital problems and manage conflict
• Spend leisure time together as a family