Happy
National Step Family Day!
Have you
seen the latest movie with Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, titled “Blended?” It’s a romantic comedy about two separate single
parenting families that end up going on an African Safari/blended familymoon
together. It is hilarious and definitely
a must-see for step-families. So if you
haven’t seen it, today is the perfect day to rent it! If you have seen it, re-watching it is a good
way to celebrate this special holiday!
This
unique holiday is celebrated annually on September 16th and was founded by
Christy Borgeld in 1997.
According
to Celebrate Love, “One in three Americans live in a stepfamily, and more than
50% of Americans will live in a stepfamily at some point in their lives. Thirty
percent of children are growing up in stepfamilies.”
According
to Bray & Kelly in a 1998 study, it usually takes a minimum of four years
or more for a stepparent to build a relationship with a stepchild.
I have
personal experience on this topic as I have had a step-dad and
step-grandfathers. Being a “step” kid has
not been without its challenges. There have
been times that it has been very clear I was their “step-child” not their own
child. I never really understood that
this type of treatment was not the norm, until I got much older. I thought it had made sense. Of course, they love their own children more,
they belong to them, and they have known them longer. When I was in junior high I remember having a
best friend that had a step-dad and he was like the best dad ever. He also had two kids from a previous marriage
and they would spend the weekends with him, weekdays with their mom. I remember spending hours after school and
sleepovers on the weekend with my friend and her family. Her family included me in everything and always
made me feel part of their family. It
was so nice seeing this blended family work so well together. I had always wished if I were to get a new
step dad I had hoped he would be like my best friends step-dad. I am an only child so having a stepdad with
kids of his own already, having instant siblings, sounded amazing. Sadly, it never worked out that way.
I don’t
know if stepfamilies seem to work out better now that society is more accepting
of this culture or now that more research has been conducted to help better
understand the dynamics. Perhaps, it’s
because divorce is becoming more common that now blended families are becoming
the norm. Regardless, I feel that today’s
blended families seem to have a better chance of success with the tools
available to them.
So if
you are part of a blended family or just want to show your support for family,
celebrate this special holiday with your loved ones! Also use #NationalStepFamilyDay when posting on Social Media.
Check
out more info on this topic and unique holiday below:
Are you
part of a blended family? Have you ever been
part of a step family? Will you be
celebrating this holiday? Have you seen
the movie Blended?
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