| Absent parents may express feelings of rejection if their children verbalize positive feelings for the stepparent. |
| Often, just as a child is beginning to warm up to the new stepparent, he or she may suddenly pull away and act out. |
| In most of these families it was all right to call the stepparent by the first name, and to feel closer to and spend more time with the biological parent. |
| And any financial support that your stepparent provides will be counted as untaxed income on the Fafsa. |
| Children may also show hostility to the stepparent as a defense mechanism against feelings of hurt and betrayal. |
| Many children do enjoy or benefit from the presence and affection of a stepparent. |
