Users of this sub that have step-siblings, what are your experiences like with them? How do relationship dynamics with step-siblings differ from blood siblings?
The reason why I'm asking this question is that I've heard of so many mixed stories about blended family relationships. Some were rife with feuding and abuse, and aligned perfectly with the "wicked step-family" stereotypes of classic fairy tales and movies. On the flip side of the coin, a few others were much more positive, with them having close and loving "we are still family, blood and labels are irrelevant" type of relationships.
The remaining handful didn't have much of a connection to begin with, as they and their step-siblings were too separated by them living in very different worlds. My mom is this way with her second stepmother's children. Her father and their mother married when they were all grown adults with families of their own, and the geographical distance, the circumstances of my grandpa's marriage to their mother, and other occupying priorities in their lives only allowed for an affable but distant relationship on Facebook.
From all of that, it made curious on what relationship dynamics between step-siblings most often entailed.