Background information
Children in blended families experience variation and changes in emotional and psychological status over time. The loss of a parent presents ununderstood cause for unhappiness. Research on their psychology have reported that some of them may not be happy, and inquisition into the cause of unhappiness can not have a direct and precise reason behind the status (Baxter, Braithwaite & Nicholson, 1999). Social researchers have documented that children in blended families may feel social problems associated with their perception that they are not wanted by their step-parents, stress of change of environment, alienation from society, the pressure associated with tension existing between her parents and competition experienced between step-siblings. Therefore, the study will aim at documenting the reasons behind the problems and perceptions of the children on their issues in the blended family.
For the blended families to survive its turmoils there is a significant need for wisdom and extra efforts by all parties influenced by it. However, children have been documented to suffer the largest impact of the family issues in such scenarios (Ginther & Pollak, 2004). It is reported that in reality a significant number of parents enter blended unions with an expectation of integrating and building strong bonds with the children over a short duration of time. According to Meads theories on social and symbolic interactions, the assumption is not absolute as the bonding may take numerous years or unexpected prolonged occasions. Socially, children express strong bonds and affection to their natural parents despite the existence of severe cases of misunderstanding and social problems (Borrine et al., 1991). Parents in blended families must not act as perfect fixes and must allow time for bands to be formed over time rather than acting as a replacement for the natural parents. That should be the case with the stepchildren too.
Therefore, the study will review issues of children in blended families and their perceptions of their problems. Also, it will capture the perception of children being brought up in blended families, hence provide knowledge on social issues in such scenarios.
References
Baxter, L. A., Braithwaite, D. O., & Nicholson, J. H. (1999). Turning points in the development of blended families. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 16 (3), 291-314.
Borrine, M. L., Handal, P. J., Brown, N. Y., & Searight, H. R. (1991). Family conflict and adolescent adjustment in intact, divorced, and blended families. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59 (5), 753.
Ginther, D. K., & Pollak, R. A. (2004). Family structure and children’s educational outcomes: Blended families, stylized facts, and descriptive regressions. Demography, 41 (4), 671-696.
