Divorce is hard on everyone involved. Some people think that it is easier to go through when your children are older and can understand some of the events. Parents of teens might disagree with this because they now have to deal with normal teen issues and the issues that come up during the divorce.
Trying to blend families together when you have teens is another challenging circumstance. Now, you have to deal with the teen’s emotions and attitude if the teen isn’t on-board with the changes. Preparing for the transition is much like planning the transition that occurs during divorce.
You should discuss the household rules and other important points with your new spouse or soon-to-be spouse. Since you and that person will be the adults in the home, you have to present a united front before the children. As you probably know, teens have a habit of trying to push the limits and might think that they can play one adult against the other.
It might be necessary to sit down and discuss the house rules and changes that are being made with the teens. During this meeting, you can let them know that you do expect some bumps along the way but that they must be dealt with using appropriate methods.
Building memories as a family can also help to make the blending process easier. Think of things that everyone will enjoy and head out to do them. Even staying home and enjoying a movie night might be just the things your new family needs to start to settle into the new way of life.
Source: Our Family Wizard, “4 Tips for Blending a Family With Teens,” accessed Nov. 08, 2017