How to Build a Step Sibling Relationship

When two people with children marry, it can be a true blessing for both families, but still bring complications.  Blending two families together can cause uncomfortable conflicts, and the role of step-sibling will take some time for children to adjust to.  Finding ways to make the step-sibling role easier is important, so here are a few tips.

 

Understand it takes Time

 

One thing that parents and each step-sibling need to understand is that building relationships takes time.  Both households likely have different ways of communicating and different family and personal habits, so you can’t expect perfect harmony from day one.


The Advantage of Youth

 

If the children in the household are very young, it can be much easier to help them build a relationship.  Every little child wants a playmate, and this can help ensure that the step-sibling relationship gets off to a good start.


Encourage Bonding Time

 

When children are older, however, they will most likely have established roles in the family and have got used to being the older sister or the baby sibling.  Introducing a step-sibling can disrupt that order and leave a child struggling to find their identity once again.  You need to understand that this is normal and everything will eventually fall back into place.  Encourage bonding time between the siblings and never make them share rooms if they’re already uncomfortable with being around each other.

 

Make Things Equal

 

One thing that a parent can do to help build the step-sibling relationship is to work to make equal time for all children in the home.  Encourage regular family activities that involve all members of bath families, and let every child know that you are there for them in an equal way.  Keep up regular routines such as weekly sports activities, visits to the library and shopping trips.  Help children to manage any conflicts that arise until you have established a regular routine that incorporates the normal activities of all children.

 

Once kids work to establish their new roles and to understand the new dynamic, the step-sibling role will begin to feel normal to them.

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