Blended families already have complicated and nuanced dynamics without adding pranks to the mix. However, once you overstep into that territory, things get more sensitive than you originally planned. For this family, matters heated up when a stepson pranked his stepdad, compromising all the hard work he had put into preparing a presentation for months. Talk about a prank gone wrong. Pranks can be fun and harmless, but when you take it a step further, not everyone may find it as funny as you, es…

In a perfect world every parent shows up for their kids when they need them. They are there to keep the monsters away and help you fight them off, but in blended families, roles and dynamics aren't always as clear cut. Balancing the whirlwind of it all can be a challenge for everyone involved. Parents are humans too and they make mistakes especially when they are swept up in love. However it doesn't excuse not putting your children first through it all. They exist because of you. For this daugh…

Dad is the real villain of this story...

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen of the internet. When you’re a child, a lot of things can go over your head without realizing it. You sort of believe everything you’re told, you assume that everything that happens to you is happening to everyone else, and that it’s normal. As we get older, we have a more mature lens in which to observe things. We can better understand what happens to us, and make better decisions about it. If our parents are divorced, it can feel like a whirlwind of emotions…

The idiosyncrasies surrounding wedding drama can have the breadth of the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. Whether it’s a classic Bridezilla story of a woman making her bridesmaid’s lose weight, a mother-in-law trying to get the upper hand and control everything, or a sibling being uninvited on account of something they’re done to disrespect the engaged couple, wedding drama will always have us at the edge of our seats, wondering about all the niche details. In this particular story, the origin…

It's impossible to pick your family. You do have a choice about who you consider family, though. Given this, how would you respond if your stepfather urged that even if you shouldn't think of yourself as his child, you should nevertheless respect him like a father? The story below is an account of a frustrated daughter. Since her mother remarried approximately a year after she was born, the original poster (OP) has never had a relationship with her father. As a result, her mother's husband has…

Grandpa pulled through!

Family should always come first because it is the most important thing in life. But what would you do if, on one of the most significant days of your life, your grandfather and stepfather were fighting over who gets to walk you down the aisle? The story below is an account of a frustrated stepdaughter. In the coming months, the original poster (OP) is set to tie the knot with her true love. But instead of acting as helpful observers, the bridal party has forced their grievances and expectations…

Blended families might be viewed as a complete and utter catastrophe or as a lovely, harmonious family unit made up of individuals connected solely by choice. But having honest conversations is essential to creating a cohesive blended family. An irritated stepmother tells her experience below. The original poster (OP) and her husband have been together for over a decade. Her partner's prior relationship resulted in a child. At the request of the little girl's biological mother, OP declined to a…

You can't have your cake and eat it too

Love is in the air and nothing else

Being a good parent is so much more than simply giving birth to a child

Marriage is VERY complicated as it is, but if you throw in merging two families with kids from previous marriages, welp, that's a whole other level of complicated. See, the thing with getting re-married is that there need to be clear boundaries for the step-parents. Finding the right balance in step-parent and step-children relationships is not easy but one thing that the step-parents should always remember is that they are in no way entitled to someone else's child. You might be joining a new…

Heated Debate About 'Real' Parenting