National Stepfamily Day – September 16, 2022, history, significance, FAQS,
national stepfamily day is celebrated onseptember 16 every year. families come in all shapes and sizes — small, big, biological, adoptive, and even step, and they all deserve to be celebrated. unlike most types of families, members of a blended family choose to come together. whether it’s because of divorce, estrangement, death, or another reason, stepfamilies need to unite and rebuild their lives together, and that deserves recognition.
history of national stepfamily day
while love and appreciation go beyond just one day, there is something special about taking out some time to celebrate on a designated day. special days have been around for a long time such as mother’s day, father’s day, daughter’s day, sibling’s day, etc. however, blended families were unable to get the recognition that they deserved.
as times changed and society became more accepting, recognition came into place for concepts that were historically considered nontraditional. divorce and remarriage became more common and hence so did stepfamilies. along with the internal struggles of blending families, stepfamilies have also been subjected to stigma and negative stereotypes by society.
these families are expected to fit into negative roles propagated by film and television which often makes it even harder to make things work. despite this societal pressure, there are thousands of blended families that survive and thrive through all the hurdles for the sake of love and each other.
today, in the u.s.a., over 30% of the under 18 population lives in a stepfamily environment. blended families are now more common than ever and deserve a day to be celebrated and recognized. driven by this, stepparent christy tusing-borgeld created national stepfamily day in 1997. since then, september 16 of every year has been a dedication to stepfamilies all around the nation, including her own.
national stepfamily day timeline
8th century
‘step’
the prefix ‘step’ is first used in its latin form ‘steop.’
1993
“becoming a stepfamily”
patricia l. papernow outlines the seven stages of development that stepfamilies go through.
1997
stepfamily day
national stepfamily day is officially declared.
2006
national stepfamily resource center
the stepfamily association of america develops and expands the nsrc.
NATIONAL STEPFAMILY DAY ACTIVITIES
Spend quality time together
Use the day and spend some quality time doing what you love to do together as a family — cooking a nice meal, having a games night, watching your favorite family movie and getting take out from your favorite place, and so forth.
Go outside
Take the celebration outdoors. You could plan a family hike followed by brunch, pack a picnic and take it to the park, enjoy some outdoor sports, or even have a sunny celebration by the pool!
Tell them how you feel
We often forget to let our loved ones know we love and appreciate them in the hustle and bustle of daily life. Take this day to sit with your family and let them know how you feel, have that conversation you’ve been meaning to have for a while, or even take this chance to smooth things over if things have been rocky.
5 NOTEWORTHY FACTS ABOUT BLENDED FAMILIE
They are blending everyday
Approximately 1,300 new stepfamilies are formed in America every day
There are more stepdads
According to a census, stepdads are more common than stepmoms in stepfamilies.
They are more common than you think
About one in three Americans is a member of a blended family in some form.
They have their struggles
Nearly three-quarters of stepfamilies express a lack of resources available to them.
They are widespread in America
Americans get married, divorced, and cohabit and/or remarry more than any other western society.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL STEPFAMILY DAY
It reminds us to appreciate
National Stepfamily Day gives people the chance to slow down and look around at the beautiful blended family that they are surrounded by. It is a reminder to appreciate and express gratitude for what they have.
It encourages communication
While it’s true that actions speak louder than words, words of affirmation can be essential from time to time. National Stepfamily Day creates a space for things that may not have been openly expressed before.
It fights stigma
A day of celebration for blended families and their success stories shows the world that stepfamilies can work. It proves that blended families are more than their stereotype and they can be beautiful families with love and respect for one another.
How to Celebrate National Stepfamily Day
Start the prime off by saying to your stepfamily that you love them, and acknowledge them for being there with you through the difficulties you face together. Then give the day with them working to build your relationship further, and fast how far you’ve come together. If you’re struggling with your stepfamily, manifest a desire to create things back up and cement your relationship closer,
there’s a lot of moving pieces in a stepfamily, and only through conjoined energy can you hope to have everything work out beautifully. National Stepfamily Day prompts you that it’s an everyday process, and it can get better, easier, and more rewarding over time. You can use the hashtag #StepfamilyDay to spread awareness on social media.
NATIONAL STEPFAMILY DAY FAQS
When is National Stepfamily Day?
National Stepfamily Day is celebrated on September 16 every year.
Is there a day for stepparents?
Yes, National Stepfamily Day is a day to celebrate and recognize all members of a stepfamily.
How many stepfamilies are in the U.S.?
Approximately 114 million Americans are involved in some form of a step relationship.
