Tips to a Successful Blended Family

A marriage of two people with which one or both of the spouses has experienced a previous marriage presents several challenges unique to their situation. Especially if they come into the marriage with children.
Challenge 1: Parenting
This is one of the greatest challenges a blended family will have to deal with. Other couples on their first marriage generally have a period of time with just the two of them. They then have the opportunity to bring a child into the world together. In the case of a blended family, one or both of the spouses is coming into a co-parenting relationship from a sole-parent state. They may have even been a sole-parent for quite some time. It is hard to let someone else parent your child(ren) when you have been used to doing it by yourself. This might cause the parent to be more lenient then they normally would be if they feel their spouse is being "too strict" with their children. This can then in turn cause a rift in the marriage. Good communication and learning to let your spouse parent the child(ren) can help keep you closer together as you strive to form this new family.
Challenge 2: Normalcy
Realize that creating a family takes time, especially when blending two very different histories and traditions. Research shows that in a blended family, it takes about 2 years to reach a "normalcy". Also realize that this normalcy is different then a biological family's normalcy. Expect things to be different and you will gain a greater sense of peace because of it.