| No longer is it unheard of for a child to have a second experience of lone-parent life after a parent and stepparent break up, followed perhaps by a second stepfamily. |
| Children may also show hostility to the stepparent as a defense mechanism against feelings of hurt and betrayal. |
| Often, just as a child is beginning to warm up to the new stepparent, he or she may suddenly pull away and act out. |
| It's common for children to feel disloyal to their absent parent when they show affection to their new stepparent. |
| And any financial support that your stepparent provides will be counted as untaxed income on the Fafsa. |
| On the positive side, younger children usually adapt better, especially when they have always known the stepparent. |
