06.14.07

Stepfathers and Non-resident Dads Can Have Powerful & Positive Effect on Children

Posted in Research About Stepfamilies, Kids Today at 7:32 am by Dawn Miller

New research from Penn State University shows that stepfathers and non-resident Dads can have a powerful and positive effect on children.

According to researcher Valarie King, it boils down to the quality of the relationship. The amount of time spent with a child, was not nearly as important as the quality of the relationship with the child. Researchers found that the closer the father-child relationship, the better the child was doing.

King’s research looked at adolescence and how the father-child relationship affected health, behavior, grades and delinquency.

Although some previous research had found that the stepparent-stepchild relationship could be difficult and that stepfathers may not positively influence stepchild well-being - King’s research found that a close relationship between a stepfather and his stepchildren could be very positive for the children and their development. She also found that stepchildren could have positive relationships with stepmothers too.

Conflict between parents was also detrimental to a child’s positive growth and development, and King suggested that children might be better off with only one parent in their lives if the relationship between the two parents remains hostile and disruptive to the child.

Permalink

2 Comments »

Lisa said,

June 19, 2007 at 9:52 am

Hi I have 2 children and my partner has 1, we have been living together for the past 3 year. My 2 children aged 6 and 14 are living full time with us, there father has not been in the picture for the past 5 years. My partner’s child age 12 dose not live with us but used to stay every weekend up untill a couple of months after we moved in together. To my total suprise, my partners ex did not like him living with me and my children and nether did his daughter. To my horror his daughter and ex wife started getting very nasty. I felt like I was competing with a 10 year old for control over our home and his ex took my partner for more child support ( of which she got as the CSA do not take step children into financal concideration) and then would not let her daughter come over our house as she claimed my children were nasty to her daughter. All this has taken its toll on our new family, nether my parnter or I delt with all this very well even though we tryed to support each other I was feeling like I was being attacked by my parnters ex and he was just trying to make every one happy which was impossiable. Now for the past year and a half my parnter picks his daughter up from school every Wednesday and they go out untill he drops her off at her home at 8pm, he has no comunication with his ex at all now and only get to see his daughter a couple of hours a week. I think more notice needs to be taken by the goverment in this area, I can’t seem to find much help or support out there for family’s in my siduation and why is it that unless step perents are married or we legally adopt the others step childen we are not consided ligally as a family at all???
kflan said,

June 27, 2007 at 9:28 pm

I have a similar situation to Lisa’s. I have two kids-daughter 8 and a son 6. My partner and I just had our 1 yr anniversary of dating. I’d like to say things have been great for the most part. Recently he took his ex to court for more parenting time with his two kids-daughter 11 and son 6. Let’s just say it backfired on him. As in Lisa’s statement, his ex didn’t like me or my children and neither did his daughter. She has some major issues when it comes to making up things and lieing. Do to untrue statements she has made to her counsoler, I am not allowed to be around his children for at least 60 days. This is what was ordered by the court instead of more parenting time. We live together and have been for a while now. I would like to know how the court can make such a rulling over a few statements a child has without even bothering to talk with myself about the matter. Oh yes, I was there for the court hearing however I was not allowed to stand up and defend myself over these hannis allegations that were made. The entire discusion was based around me. It boiles down to his ex trying to turn their daughter against me and contolling my partner still. I feel she will never quit. I’m trying to deal with this but it’s really taking a toll on our relationship and my feelings. This has ruined all of our trips we’ve planned to take our kids on for summer vacation. This past weekend was his

TheStepfamilyLife - The Blended Family Blog

06.14.07

Stepfathers and Non-resident Dads Can Have Powerful & Positive Effect on Children

2 Comments »

Leave a Comment

Pages

Archives

Categories

Search

Meta