Family Changes
Changes in your family can be stressful. You might be worried about having to do things differently or about getting used to new people. There is no right or wrong way to feel, everyone will feel differently in a similar situation.
It’s natural to feel scared or uneasy when there are lots of changes going on. Every family is different. A stepfamily is when two families come together. Sometimes you’ll live with your stepfamily, but not always.
Sometimes joining a stepfamily can be really exciting. You might look forward to getting closer to your new stepparent or stepsiblings. But it’s also okay to be worried about the future.
If you’re joining a stepfamily, you might be worried about:
- getting to know your stepfamily
- losing touch with your other parent and that side of the family, or feeling like you’re betraying them
- not feeling like you’re part of the family
- moving home or school
- not getting on with your stepfamily
- people seeing your family as different.
There are things that you can do to make this a less scary time and talking to either of your parents about how you feel can help you to find ways to feel better and less alone.
If talking to your parents feels too hard then find a trusted adult to share how you feel with. You can also write to the workers on cool2talk, they will listen and respond to what you say within 24 hours of posting your message, READ HERE about how that works. How you feel and what you want is important. Sometimes telling people what you want won’t change things but it can help you to talk about what might make it easier.
Another good way of expressing your feelings is to draw, cry or write your feelings down.
You could be the one to organise a family outing or activity that you can all do together, it’s a good way to get to know your new family group. Try watching a film together, or going for a nice walk altogether.
What is important is to remember even if things aren’t working right now, it doesn’t mean that things won’t change. Try keeping a diary of what’s going well and what isn’t.
Joining a stepfamily can be a big change. It might mean moving in with new people or having step-brothers or sisters and this can take time to adjust, try not to expect it to all be fine immediately.
There are many reasons why you may have to join a step family, but a common reason can be your parents separating or divorcing. If it happens it is never your fault. CLICK HERE to check out some helpful tips.
There are other situations that can lead to you feeling unhappy at home CLICK HERE to read more about Family problems.