Whether a stepparent will adopt their stepchild has a lot to do with their specific family situation. If the mom has been raising her daughter on her own since the day she was born, and she marries her daughter’s stepdad during her daughter’s childhood, he might be a good candidate for adopting her. He has been the most stable father figure in her life, and it’s not like he’s taking a title away from somebody who particularly deserves it. If a mom and a dad divorce and share custody of their children equally, and both get remarried, their respective spouses might not feel like it would be appropriate to adopt their stepchildren when they have two incredibly involved parents already. Or maybe their stepkids would accept their adoption with open arms! It truly depends on each family’s circumstances. 

Many stepparents wish to adopt their stepkids, but what about the stepkids who want their stepparents to adopt them?