As part of our Blended Family Friday series, each week we spotlight a different stepfamily to learn how they successfully blended their two families. Our hope is that by telling their stories, we’ll bring you closer to blended family bliss in your own life! Want to share your own story? Email us at divorce@huffingtonpost.com.
When Nicholas Golden first met his fiancé Cherie almost five years ago, he knew that she was a package deal: Falling in love with her meant he’d also have to take an active role in the lives of her three kids. It hasn’t always been easy, but today he’s forged a strong relationship with all of Cherie’s kids. (Last year, Cherie and Nicholas had their first child.)
“Throughout this journey, I’ve learned there’s beauty and difficulty in being a stepparent,” Golden told the Huffington Post. “But my relationship with my stepkids has been a very rewarding one. It’s taught me a great deal about myself and the complexity of love and family.”
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As for advice, luckily for me, I have a stepmother who helped me understand certain aspects of being a stepparent, but nothing can prepare you for being knee-deep in it. I just wish someone had told me that everything would be OK in time. It takes time for all aspects of being in a blended family to work and you can’t force it. Focus on communication, love, and trust and things will eventually fall into place.
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