I grew up in a blended family. It was not easy at all. My dad was pretty much not there for me when it came for my visitation. I resented my 3 siblings. Now my oldest sister and I are extremely close. We talk about everything. My other mom (I don't call her my step) we are pretty close too. I have learned a lot from my parents in what I didn't want to do in my own family if I ever had a blended family.

Well now 26 years later. I have a blended family. I always say that blended families are not for wimps. You have to go above and beyond at times even if it is uncomfortable. My oldest is not mine biologically but in every other way she is. I call her my daughter, I have a very close bond with her. I know I spend more time protecting her than my other two only because I know they are in a great environment and I know they are secure.

I walk softly in certain areas, I am completely open to Emma. My heart breaks when I hear things at home that I wish she didn't have to go through. But I know I can change her life little by little when she comes here. She has so much put on her as far as responisbility. She is the oldest. We do not expect her to take care of her sisters, we just want her to be respectful, be a kid and just enjoy herself. At home it's not like that at all.

I know she is happy here. She is calm, she loves having fun with her sisters, she adores both of them. As they adore her. We have a great time when we go away for family vacations. There aren't many times that we go on our own the four of us. We always plan and wait until we can have her with us. The girls miss her so much, they want to have that fun and experience that fun with her.

So anyways we are a blended family. The two younger ones are from a previous relationship that I had 7 years ago. His is a relationship he had 7 years ago too.

It's the best thing that has ever happened to us. I always wanted another child but knew because of my heart it wasn't going to happen. Well now we have 3 beautiful girls! No heart risk involved! (smile) 

 

You sound like an amazing person with a big heart.  Looks like your 'blended' family is working out perfectly.  Kudos.  And its awesome for you to be so understanding.

My family is a blended family also.  It brings me a lot of joy and some times it is hard.  I try to treat all the kids like they are my own.  They have a lot of responsibility at their house so when they are here I do everything and let them just be kids

I grew up in blended family too. Both my mom & dad are on their 3rd marriage and from the experience I had growing up I will try my hardest not to become a blened family. I waited for a couple of yrs. before even thinking about marriage related to my parents and their relationships. So yrs. later- me & my husband are just fine & he doesn't understand my family and says the same thing that he doesn't want to end up divorced.I give big  out to every parent that is a blended family because I was one of those kids thinking why is mom/dad into them now & when are they going to leave? And I know I said awful stuff to my step parents, so I know you stuggle @ times but keep your head held up high!! Continue to do what your doing and one day the kids will understand how much you love them, and how much they love you!!

that is very sweet, thank you

I was sorta raised in a blended family. My father had two sons before me, one of which wasn't his biological son, but he did legally adopt him... so i have two 'half' brothers and a younger brother with the same mom and dad as me.  We never really put two and two together until we were much older, because my older brothers lived with their mom, so we really bonded once we were able to see eachother, cuz we were all older and thrilled to have more siblings.  I am now the Mommy of a blended family.  My older daugter is not the biological child of my hubby, though ppl swear she is his.   Her real father and i have been divorced since she was a month old (long story short, he was an abusive adulterer and i had bad PPD and couldn't move past all that he had done to me) and so she knows who he is, but he calls Jonathan (hubby) 'daddy'.  so far it has worked well.... but i wonder how it is going to be as she gets older... i mean with her siblings and even her views on having two dads.... does anyone have advice???

I was raised in blended family  latter years  when Mom  and dad remarried   I loved my steps on dads side never knew ones     from moms hubbys lol     Then I met and fell  in love w  Gary  We each had one  daughter   ages 2 and 3   and together we had Sammi .  There were times it got awfully hairy ,  jealousies  for the missing  children at any given time... yet love when all together...    Sammi looked so AMAZINGLY like  Garys firstborn  his ex  questioned where I got a certain photo of her daughter  It was Sammi hehheh...  

     Today we have a blended family of a different sort , It consists   of all  our Adopted Grandbabies... Most of no blood or legal relation  but part of our family regardless.... and I love each one  and find it a very important function to love  kids who  really have no one else out there  for them  as well as those  who simply steal your hearts   You can NEVER have  to much love to share  w all who need or  share it hehheh  God Bless you all  Blended families come in all shapes colors and  ways  and takes special people to handle it all