Blended families are an increasingly common occurrence in today’s world, but that doesn’t mean that making them happy and harmonious is an easy task. Everybody is likely to have slightly different expectations coming into this situation, and chaos can occur when these don’t align with one another.

Perhaps the most common cause of familial tension in these scenarios is between a stepparent and stepchild, but it is possible for issues to occur within the wider family as well. Sometimes, a sibling dating a new partner is enough to bring significant disruption to the dynamic, something that is even more likely if they also have kids.

Being diplomatic in this kind of situation can be a challenge, not least when somebody seems to be pushing their newfound family relationships to the limit. It is important to maintain boundaries and stand your ground, even if that can sometimes mean ruffling some feathers.