Should Kids Be Forced to Call their step-fathers Dad?

[Kibbiekat]

Why multiple threads re "forcing" kids to do things?

[L'Artiste]

Nope

[aspentree]

No.

[rezfreak]

Absolutely not.

[Lucario]

Originally Posted by kevxu

I think what the kids call their stepfather can't be answered with a hard and fast rule. It will, of course, depend upon what their biological father's role in their lives is for one thing.

When I married his mom, my son was 8. I gave him the opportunity to decide what to call me. He calls me by my first name, same as he does his biological dad. He saw bio during the summer every year as he grew up and was with me during the school year. Now that he's grown, he is in contact with his bio dad and half siblings via phone, email and Facebook. He knows I'm the only Dad he had growing up.

As for should a stepfather have any control over the kids - of course! He is the male head of the household and he most certainly have some say over their conduct...otherwise, he's hardly more than the mother's guest.

Agreed. When he came into my home, I assumed every role that a father should assume. I took care of him, fed him, clothed him, took him to the doctor, taught him how to cook, sew, play football and fight, and did all of the other ancillary Dad stuff. I was also the disciplinarian. Before we got married I told my wife that if I were to be the (step) father, I had to have every right and responsibility that a bio father would have. And I have.

[nana053]

Originally Posted by chris123678

I was just thinking.
Say if a woman gets married and has a child and then gets divorced and married again,
Should the child refer to the step-father as Dad?

One of my friends step-father is doing that.

So should they? Should the step father have any control over kids that aren't their own?

The child *may* refer to the step-father as dad if the child wants to do so. The step-father though should not insist on it and probably should not initiate it unless the bio-dad is totally out of the picture and he is adopting the step-child.

[GKH777]

If the bio father is 100% out of the picture, then yes.

[lkb0714]

Originally Posted by chris123678

I was just thinking.
Say if a woman gets married and has a child and then gets divorced and married again,
Should the child refer to the step-father as Dad?

One of my friends step-father is doing that.

So should they? Should the step father have any control over kids that aren't their own?

There is a key difference between the OP and the title of the thread.

Should the child be FORCED? No.

Should the child refer to step parent as mom or day? If they, and the biological parents are comfortable with it then yes.

[djacques]

No...if they have to be forced to there is probably a reason why. There are cases in which this would be appropriate but they are few and far between.

Kids should be expected to respect and obey stepparents though.

[sweetchas]

No.