Blended Families

This week was really cool.  Having grown up in a blended family I have seen what to do and what not to do as a step-child, and parent.  We talked in class about how the new step parent should act like an uncle, or aunt, to the step-children, and should let the birth parent be primarily responsible for the hard discipline of their children.  I think about the relationship that I have with my current step-dad, and it is the kind of father/son relationship I never had growing up.  We watch and play sports together, work out together, talk about manly things together, and have a great time.  He and my mother work together to determine what my punishment should be if I fudge up while I'm at home, and it is great.  I think that part of this is because of my attitude towards our relationship.  I still call him Paul, I don't think I'll ever call him dad, although he is like a father to me.  I know some people don't get along with their step parents at all.  If my birth father were to marry his current/former girlfriend I would never tell her that I love her because I don't like her, and I think that she would never be able to be like a mother to me because of the close relationship I have with my real mother.  I think that because my relationship with my father isn't very much like the relationship normally between father and son, it is easier for me to be close to my step-dad.  I don't know if this is how most people feel, or if it is just how it is in my life.  Anyways, I think blended families can be a great thing, but it can also tear a family apart, which is why any possibility of remarriage should be prayerfully considered.  That's all I have to say about that.

Parenting

This was a really nice week.  The thought was raised about adoption, or doing foster care.  I always thought adoption would be a great thing for my family at some point.  I have a former step-brother (our parents have since divorced), and his family adopted a young man from Uganda.  I know that it has done tremendous help for him, as well as the family.  Especially if for some reason my wife and I are unable to have children (because of my tight jeans...), I think adoption wouldn't even be a question, we would be happy to adopt children from less-than-ideal situations.  The young man my step-brother adopted was about 14 when he was adopted and has done well to assimilate into the family.  I know that there is some problems associated with adopting somebody who has been in a bad situation for several years, but I think I would be willing to help anybody who really needs it, hoping that somehow they would be able to accept our love...  Either way, adoption is a very interesting thought, and has been something I have thought about since my mission.  We'll see what the future holds.