Different Parenting Styles

Isabella said one hard thing for her growing up in a blended family was the difference in parenting styles. Her mom was a disciplinarian with tight boundaries, but her dad let her and her siblings do whatever they wanted. They'd go back to mom's house and think, "Oh, I can't do that here." Having different rules is confusing. It invites kids to play the game and manipulate the system rather than learn the lessons the rules were meant to teach. Parenting in complex families requires cooperation.