Friday, June 15, 2007

The good stepdad

Since birthmothers often are awarded primary physical custody of children after divorce, a stepfather has a wonderful opportunity to mold a child's daily habits, friendships, values, sense of responsibility and approach to school and to life. Here are some suggestions. [source]

It's really refreshing to see something complementary about stepfathers in the press. Usually, stepfathers are portrayed as potential sources for abuse as "an unrelated male in the house." Does that happen? Sure. The evil stepmother also exists outside of fairy tales. But not every stepparent is evil incarnate. And it's good to see an article that not only acknowledges the very positive role that an active stepfather can have in a child's life, but that also gives stepfathers some tips for how they can engage in that role.

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