Based on interviews with hundreds of remarried men and women, this guide to stepparenting realistically acknowledges the fears, doubts, and difficulties that affect the stepparenting situation, and offers practical help and insight into the many accompanying challenges and rewards. Following an introduction that acknowledges how few role-models exist for parents adapting to their partner's children, the chapters of the book are: (1) "Instant Parent," on misperceptions of partners who have never been parents; (2) "Your Place or Mine? Deciding Where to Set Up the Blended Household"; (3) "Coming to Terms with Terminology," on how to refer to members of the new family; (4) "The Blended, Merged, Combination, His-and-Hers Stepfamily" on the problems of adjustment; (5) "Living with One Set of Children," on adapting to one partner's children in the home while the other partner's children reside with the former spouse; (6) "The Visitors, or Weekend Family," on coping when the nonresident children come for visitation; (7) "Talking about Money"; (8) "And Then There's Ours," on considerations before adding a new child to the stepfamily; (9) "Reconstructing the Family after a Parent Has Died"; (10) "Matters of Discipline"; (11) "Many Things You Might Wish to Disregard about S-E-X but You Really Ought to Consider," including inappropriate attractions; (12) "The Bittersweet World of the New Extended Family," on decision-making involving multiple parents, grandparents, and siblings; (13) "Remarriage in Maturity," on reconciling adult children to a parent's remarriage; (14)"Seeking Professional Help"; and (15) "The Support Group: A Shimmer of Light in the Tunnel." Contains a 35-item bibliography. (HTH)