Over 30-percent of the United States' under-18 population live in a stepfamily environment. Blended families work together to create stable, happy, and functional home environments and family interaction. Stepparents, siblings, and extended family members are pitched in unique and complicated situations - and make it work. Divorces, deaths, or other events can create a stepfamily - and that means two families blending beautifully into one. For those who manage to make it happen, a stepfamily can be just as valuable, if not more, than a biological family, and many see their stepfamilies as huge blessings in their life. Though it takes a lot of work, patience, and kindness, it is possible to have a healthy and thriving stepfamily. On National Stepfamily Day we recognize the efforts of stepparents, siblings and extended family to ensure children love and happiness abound in blended family situations.

September 16th recognizes step-families, also known as blended families, growing and loving together.

Stepparent Christy Tusing-Borgeld founded National Stepfamily Day in 1997.