The tribe is getting bigger and more complicated

Seriously, we need a chart.  What do you call your step-mother’s daughter’s boyfriend’s 15-year-old son?  Nearly one-third of American households have at least one stepparent or bonus parent, as I like to say.  Boom!  One marriage can seriously expand the tribe.  The rise in divorce and remarriage is the driver behind the 66% increase in family size.  The divorce rate has doubled for older Americans in the past 20 years.  Almost 30% of people over 50 have been married more than once.  As a result, we’re not sure about the nature of our relationships and responsibilities to each other.  What are the rules for gift giving?  As boomer bonus parents age, who takes care of them?  Bonus kids could end up with more elderly to take care of and bonus parents may have more kids to lean on.  It’s critical to determine the rules as life moves along.

More Parenting Pointers at DrClaudia.net