How To Bond With Stepchildren
Child India|May 2018

Know how you can sail through parenthood successfully if you are a part of a step-family.

Prachi S. Vaish
How To Bond With Stepchildren

A MARRIAGE is a beautiful union between two people, and more often than not between two families. It’s a phase of life that requires a lot of adjustment and if it happens to be a second marriage involving children, these adjustments take on a whole new meaning.

Rukmini Vaish from Kanpur married her elder sister’s husband after her sister passed away. It seemed like a natural course of action for the families because the two-year-old Vaishali she had left behind was already very close to her aunt. Today her daughter is in college; Rukmini has had two more kids from her marriage and no one has ever been able to guess that there’s a stepchild or a stepmom in the family. Rukmini says, “I never felt like it was something unnatural I had to adapt to; my sister’s daughter was already very dear to me, and she was very young too, so I could readily take on the role of her mother. For me, Vaishali will always be my firstborn.”

Gone are the days of the cruel stepmothers of fairy tales and folklore. New-age step-families are modern, open-minded and aware of the challenges of their set-up. Here are some:

altered relationships

In a stepfamily, the child might have to make one of the two kinds of adjustments—if there has been a divorce, the child will end up feeling torn between the biological parent and the step-parent. If the biological parent has passed away, then there’s a struggle to accept the new parent. In either case, it’s about the conflict of ‘replacing’ one parent with another.

the changed parent 

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM CHILD INDIAView all
Focus On Good Health
Child India

Focus On Good Health

As a mommy, you need to ensure that Baby is doing just fine. These tips will help you do just that.

time-read
10+ mins  |
August 2016
Rain Bugs Go Away!
Child India

Rain Bugs Go Away!

Monsoon is rife with water-borne ailments. With infants and children being the most susceptible, here's a ready reckoner to help decode your little one's symptoms and cures.

time-read
4 mins  |
August 2017
Baby, it's cold outside!
Child India

Baby, it's cold outside!

The cold, dreary days can expose your baby’s skin to dryness and even infection. Make notes, as our experts throw light on how to keep your tot’s skin healthy and supple throughout the season.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2016
School Age 5-7 Years Power Struggles
Child India

School Age 5-7 Years Power Struggles

Try these level-headed ways to avoid everyday battles with your little one.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2016
12 Finger Foods That Don't Come From A Box
Child India

12 Finger Foods That Don't Come From A Box

Skip highly processed finger foods for these natural, nutritious bites babies and toddlers will love to get their hands on.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2016
Hyper Mom
Child India

Hyper Mom

With hypertension being ranked as one of the top obstetric complications hyper mom faced by women all over the world, it is essential to keep a tight watch on its insidious rise. Here’s a closer look at the key BP raiser

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2016
10 Mistakes You Don't Want To Make
Child India

10 Mistakes You Don't Want To Make

You do all that it takes to keep those bumps and rashes away from your sweetheart. Yet, there they are—troubling her. Are you making any mistake while taking care of her delicate skin? It’s time to find out.

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2016
Help Baby Snooze Better
Child India

Help Baby Snooze Better

Great sleepers are made, not born. Take back the night with this 24/7 guide. 

time-read
9 mins  |
September 2016
A Mom Who Eats Right, Feeds Right
Child India

A Mom Who Eats Right, Feeds Right

Author of two books, including the latest Eat. Delete. Junior, and nutritionist to Bollywood A-listers like Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor, Pooja Makhija talks to Child about raising non-fussy eaters, her food rules, indulgences and much more.

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2017
A Head For Tales
Child India

A Head For Tales

Founder of Your Story Bag, master storyteller Rituparna Ghosh is known as much for her fun, interactive sessions as she is for training over 500 storytellers in nearly four years. She tells us how she found herself through her art.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2017