Need for respect. Children's individuality should be respected. They should not be taken for granted, such as assuming older children will baby-sit for younger children. Children's wishes should be considered when making plans, and they should be told when plans are changed. Children should sense that you trust them.
Sexuality between your older children and their older stepsiblings. Because stepsiblings arenot related biologically, sometimes issues of intimacy can arise for adolescents and teenagers.
A new baby. Children in a stepfamily often are challenged by the arrival of a new babythe product of one of their parents and their stepparent. This can be met with excitement or jealousy, or both. The baby can be seen as eating up all their parent's time, a nuisance, and possibly an embarrassment if they think their parent is over the hill. Other children are able to enjoy the new baby and see themselves as the big brother or sister.
Each of these special issues can be handled with your careful thought. Creating an atmosphere where communication is facilitated so that feelings don't get bottled up is key. Making sure that your children have the physical space, privacy, and respect they need to feel comfortable and secure will prevent problems before they develop.
