Family is important, but adjusting to a stepfamily can be an uphill task, especially if the family members seem indifferent to each other.
There are many cases of stepfather issues, but it’s knowing the answer to why my son hates his stepfather that can help you sort the situation.
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Why my son hates his stepfather
While your son may not explicitly say that he hates his stepfather, his actions will show.
He may not want to spend any time with his stepfather and may even pretend that they don’t exist.
The reason this may be happening depends mostly on the age of the child.
Children who are 14 years old and younger may have the most challenging time adjusting to a new parent when used to something else.
Your son may feel uncertain about his place in the new family unit.
He may also feel like he’s competing for your attention with his stepfather.
If your son is older than that, he may hate his stepfather because they may feel like a threat to his independence and way of life.
He will also push boundaries and not take it well when his stepfather tries to discipline him.
If it’s been just you and your son for a while, he may feel like a stepfather is replacing him in your life and undermining his authority.
What to do to fix step father step son relationship problems
While adjusting to a stepfather can be difficult, some of the ways you can help your son have the right relationship with his stepfather include:
1. Look at things from his perspective
No matter how irrational your son’s fears may seem when it comes to his stepfather, they are pretty valid to him.
You need to make sure that your son knows that you are listening to his concerns and that you’re making him a priority.
Make sure you provide lots of opportunities for your son to have open discussions with you regarding how he feels about his stepfather to find some solutions together.
Seeing a family therapist can significantly help you to navigate this.
2. Be honest
While a great relationship between your son and his stepfather may not happen immediately, it helps them share what they are going through honestly with your son.
Just knowing that they are actively trying to build a great relationship with him will make your son more likely to change how he feels about his stepfather.
3. Spend time together
You should make sure that you engage in fun activities and spend time together as a family.
Try to let your son choose what he wants you to do whenever possible.
Apart from this, try to spend time alone with your son so that he doesn’t feel like he’s no longer a priority to you.
4. Present a united front
Try not to make your son’s stepfather ‘the bad cop’ by leaving all the discipline issues to him.
When it comes to rules and punishments, your son is more likely to accept it when it comes to both of you.
While conflicts in families are common, they can be more pronounced in stepfamilies.
For a mother suspecting that her son hates his stepfather, this can be a huge contention point in the family.
Creating the right relationship comes from knowing what to do and takes time and a willingness to learn what works from each other.
Related Post: Why is My Grown Daughter So Mean To Me
Mo Mulla is a work from home dad who enjoys reading and listening to music, He loves being a dad and husband to a growing family. He also loves writing about his passions and hopes to change the world, 1 blog post at a time!
