When your parents first remarried, you could never imagine sharing your life with a step-sibling. Now, you can’t imagine life without them. Here are a few things that only individuals with step-siblings can relate to:
You know what it is like to not share the same childhood
Acquiring a new sibling means that you have a lot of catching up to do, since you did not share a childhood. Photos help a lot and so do home videos. It’s surprising, but after a while you get to know each others’ pasts so well that you often forget that you did not grow up under the same roof.
You understand the hardship of constantly having to explain your blended family to everyone
Introducing your new family can be no easy matter. You hate having to explain that your parents remarried and that you have step-siblings now, because to you they simply feel like your biological family. It gets even harder if both parents remarry. It often involves drawing diagrams and using nearby objects to describe your current family situation.
You deal with a constantly changing number of people at your house
The number of people in your house is always in flux, since all the children rotate between different sets of parents. When you’re at your mom’s house you have three siblings, but when you are at your dad’s it is back down to only you and your sister. It’s confusing to constantly switch family dynamics, but on the plus side it always keeps life interesting.
You get to have the older/younger sibling you’ve always wanted
Deep down you always wanted to have an older sister to steal clothes from and ask all your boy questions. Your wish came true when your mom remarried and you acquired a wise older sister that you would not trade for the world.
Your holidays are a bit more complicated
The holidays will never be simple, but then again when are they ever? Dividing your time between two families can be anything but calm, but on the bright side at least you get double the presents and two holiday feasts.
You make alliances with your parents during their fights
Fights between your mom and dad are bound to happen, and it’s hard for step-children to not take sides with their own parent. Your mom is used to doing something one way, but your step-dad does not always agree. You feel automatically inclined to defend your mom, even if you do not completely agree with her.
Your birth order gets thrown out the window
You have been the oldest sister to your younger brother for as long as you can remember. That is, until your dad remarried. Now you’re the middle child, and that’s taken a long time to come to terms with.
Your chores became a whole lot more complex
Chores are never an easy thing to assign, but doling out who does what in a blended family what can be a chore in itself. On top of everything else, there’s also the task of combining two different families’ ideas of how chores need to be carried out.
You know evil step-sisters (and brothers) only exist in fairy tales
Blame it on Cinderella, but step-siblings have a bad rap. The reality is that your new siblings are a whole new support team that has your back no matter what.
You know it takes some time getting used to sharing your mom or dad
One of the hardest parts about having a blended family is learning to share your own mom or dad with your new step-siblings. Over the years it gets easier as you become closer and you could not imagine anyone else as your family.
Step-siblings can create a complex family dynamic, but you know that in the end there is no one you would rather have as your sisters and brothers. After all, you know that family is not defined by blood, but rather those who you could not live without.
Featured photo credit: Flickr via flickr.com
