Blended families are a fact of modern life, but they can sometimes be more complicated to navigate than more traditional dynamics. Sharing kids with an ex and figuring out who is going to do what and when is a notoriously difficult enterprise for many separated parents. Even when the custody battle is sorted, there are plenty of issues that can crop up and make things harder than you want them to be.

Adding new partners into the mix can sometimes be a factor in this. It is yet another person whose feelings and needs must be taken into account, and while kids should come first, this also has to be within the boundaries of what is best for everyone. It is a balancing act that can easily become the grounds for a disagreement if it isn’t done right, and it’s often inevitable that this will happen between partners at some point.