Online posting and chat groups can also help you connect with others. If you are like me and occasionally feel the need to go nuclear (beware the atomic stepmom!), then you are probably better off venting at sympathetic ears than ripping your stepfamily metaphorically limb-from-limb. Some of these groups can also help your channel your anger into positive action steps after you cool down.

(3) Choose interaction over inaction with your stepfamily. It can be very easy to let the chaos of daily living and our own fears of rejection and rocking the boat to stop us from reaching out to our own stepfamily members. Resolve not to be strangers. Don?™t pester your stepchildren to death with requests for activities, but don?™t give up on doing things together.

Explore who the people in your stepfamily are ??find out what they like and dislike. My gang likes arts and crafts ??give them some paint and something to stick it to besides my furniture, and wham, you see some incredible creativity. Make pizzas, go on a camping trip, form a cheering block at a child?™s sports meet, celebrate good report cards with a special meal, or play a board game. Another great way to interact is through giving back to the community ??contact a local charity and find out how your stepfamily can do a project together to help the organization ??either on-site or at home.

(4) Set aside couple time and pay attention to your spouse. Setting aside time as a couple when you are taking care of kids and dealing with stepfamily dynamics can be tough. I?™ve found that I have a tendency to worry so much about the kids and their adjustment and physical needs, that building my marriage lands on the back burner when the kids are around.