Stepparents and professionals answer questions about stepfamilies. |
As the blended family becomes more prevalent, we find stepparents giving each other advice. This is a page for stepparents and professionals to answer questions. Question: Hi, I love your page and all the links. D Answer 1: As a father who is as involved as possible with my
children who live in another state, I would say, "No way." It is a real problem
for fathers who can not interact on a daily basis but I am her only dad. I think my ex
would handle it better than this. And somehow, I don't think she would like Kelly calling
another woman "mommy." Answer 2: In response to the wife of the little girl who wants to call her mom's second husband daddy.... As a single Dad who has to deal with all the lousy issues of divorce and lost time with my daughter, I feel very strongly on this issue. My daughter has one, and only one father, and that is me. Whether my EX has hundreds of other husbands it her lifetime, they are not this child's father. When it comes to custody, men are almost always on the short end of the stick. I was lucky in that I was granted 3 days a week for having my daughter. I don't feel that lucky because I want to have her 7 days a week-but that's water under the bridge. Unfortunately for single Dads, our children often spend more time with the Ex's hubby than with us. This is bad enough. Our role as father is under stress. Is it really unreasonable to think it would greatly upset us men to have our children calling someone else Daddy? My daughter has been very receptive to women I've met and looked at as possible relationships. I hope and expect that my daughter will care for and maybe even grow to love whatever woman eventually becomes part of my life. But regardless of how much my Jessica may care for my new spouse, she already has a mother - Mom, and I would never question or threaten that title. It is healthy for children to respect, care for and even grow to love step-parents. However, as long as both parents are alive and active in their children's lives, there is only ONE Mom and ONE Dad. I find it incredibly insensitive of this woman to not understand her Ex's
feelings. There is enough loss in divorce already. Do we also have to loose the one title
that is the most important to us? |
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