Why Is A Stepfather Called A Stepfather?
A few decades ago, stepparent homes were few and in between, but today they have become almost as common as non-stepparent homes. In Why Is A Stepfather Called A Stepfather? J. F. McCormick, III., focuses on the stepfather because it seems as though the majority of stepparent homes are headed by stepfathers. He then differentiates between the bad stepfather and the good stepfather.
The latter being the one who deserves a lot of praise but rarely receives it because society lumps the good in with the bad and looks down on both. The good stepfather deserves much praise because he is constantly exposed to problems with the children and many times with his wife that the biological father don’t have to face.
Problems like being told: “You’re not my father! You can’t tell me what to do!” Problems like being told: “You’re not their father! You can’t spank them!” God’s special love for stepfathers comes to view as He arranged for Moses and Jesus to be raised by stepfathers! Many mothers and stepchildren will be challenged to value good stepfathers the way that God values them as they strive to make a difficult family situation more livable.
Read more…Why Is A Stepfather Called A Stepfather?: A Tribute To Good Stepfathers
How to Be a Good Step Dad
# Treat them like they’re your own. No child likes to be disrespected! Let alone a stepchild. They may act like you’re unwelcome, but that may be because they assume you think that you are their ‘replacement Dad’. Ignore the discouragement, and just treat them like your own kids.
# Go easy on the discipline. They’ll hate you for sure if you constantly nag, nag, nag about their grades, or nag, nag, nag about uncompleted chores. In their minds, no matter how awesome you are, they aren’t yours. It’s your job to teach them otherwise. They’ll never appreciate you if you mother them.
# Do amazing things. You have to think about them. They are your precious angels. When you’re out at the store, call their mother and ask if she or the kid(s) need anything. Anything at all. Or, better yet, want anything. If you can’t find what they want, call again and ask for a cheaper/more commonly found replacement. (WARNING: Guessing the replacement is an absolute no-no! What if you buy the cheapest of cheap brands and end up wasting your money?)
