A few decades ago, stepparent homes were few and in between, but today they have become almost as common as non-stepparent homes. In Why Is A Stepfather Called A Stepfather? J. F. McCormick, III., focuses on the stepfather because it seems as though the majority of stepparent homes are headed by stepfathers. He then differentiates between the bad stepfather and the good stepfather. The latter being the one who deserves a lot of praise but rarely receives it because society lumps the good in with the bad and looks down on both. The good stepfather deserves much praise because he is constantly exposed to problems with the children and many times with his wife that the biological father don’t have to face. Problems like being told: “You’re not my father! You can’t tell me what to do!” Problems like being told: “You’re not their father! You can’t spank them!” God’s special love for stepfathers comes to view as He arranged for Moses and Jesus to be raised by stepfathers! Many mothers and stepchildren will be challenged to value good stepfathers the way God values them as they strive to make a difficult family situation more livable.
