Relationships: How to bring step-families together

When people remarry, they believe that building a strong marriage and family is possible despite all the difficulties, and is worth the effort. But many fail to recognise stepfamilies must go through a process to become functioning families.

Child discipline and manners are often the major source of marital stress in stepfamilies.

Don't be too tough on your wife. She does not share a biological bond with your children and a lack of reciprocity from them (without even a please or thank you) could understandably snowball and foster resentment.

I am glad that you took the time to think of what you could do for the new family unit and your first summer holiday together.

Life as a pre-teen can be challenging. They often find themselves uncomfortable with who they are - hostile teenagers one moment, and carefree and childlike the next.

Things are just so much harder for step-tweens - caught between two parents, two families and two homes.