A blended family involves children from different relationships that are now joined together under one household. Blended families are tough when there isn’t good planning and communication. Most couples get together thinking that all children will get along and many times that’s not the case. Kids comes from different backgrounds and are used to different rules and disciplinary systems among several other things. The age of the children also plays a big part in how easy a family can blend together. If the children are younger, then they may not know anything else, but if there are older, especially teenagers, you are dealing with a totally different situation.
Step-parents can’t come in with the “everything changes” mindset. It will make kids resent you. Instead, if a family is preparing to blend, the family should have a family meeting and discuss exactly what is getting ready to take place. Don’t assume that things will just work out because they won’t. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Don’t give the devil any place in your home. The way you do that is through communication. Talk about the specifics - who will clean what, how will discipline be handled, what are the new house rules, etc.
If you communicate, pray, and plan, then a blended family can be very effective. If you don’t it will be a nightmare.
