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China 's Lost Girls : Blended Family Essay

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China’s Lost Girls
Blended Family
A blended family is a family where at least one parent has children that are not genetically related to the other spouse or partner. Either one parent may have children from a previous relationship. Children in a blended family may live with one biological parent, or they may live with each biological parent for a period of time. In addition, visitation rights mean that children in stepfamilies often have contact with both biological parents, even if they permanently live with only one. A child is referred to as the stepchild, stepdaughter or stepson of their biological parent’s new spouse, and that person as the stepparent, stepfather or stepmother of the child. A stepfather is the husband of one’s mother and not one’s biological father. A stepmother is the wife of one’s father and not one’s biological mother. Similarly, a stepbrother is the son of a stepparent who one is not biologically related to. A stepsister is the daughter of a stepparent to whom is not biologically related. A parent’s spouse of the same sex may also count as a stepparent. Alternatively, in Australia Under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), a ‘stepparent’ in relation to a child, is interpreted as a person who is not a parent of the child; and is, or has been, married to or a de facto partner of, a parent of the child; and treats, or at any time while married to, or a de fact partner of, the parent treated, the child as a member of the family formed with the parent.
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