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Parents Tell Stepparents What They Really Think

A short video by the website SoulPancake examines the dynamics of a blended family. In the touching video, the biological parents of a boy named Nak surprise their son's stepparents with letters that express gratitude for becoming part of their child's life.

The blended family dynamic is often strained. Stepparents often put in just as much time and effort as biological parents but are generally overlooked for their contributions. The emotional letters Nak's parents read out to his stepparents bring a fresh perspective to the relationship by reminding us that stepparents can add immeasurable value to our children's lives.

The video shows that a healthy family doesn't have to be a traditional family. The video shows two parents who were able to move past the how hard the dissolution of their marriage was and maintain a good relationship with each other for the sake of their child. We see that they were able to find love again and trust the person they used to love to create a healthy environment for their son. They eventually were able to create a family that included each others family, again for the sake of their child. They created a web of family that always engulfs Nak in love instead of pulling him back and forth. The idea of a stepparent spending time with your child is always going to be painful for a parent. You're always going to worry that you're missing something, but Nak's parents are also able to see how much their son's stepparents are adding to Nak's life.

Our favorite part is when Nak's dad tearfully tells the stepfather: "I know how powerful it is for a boy to see that his mother is loved because that's how he's going to treat his wife - and you're doing that for him. You're doing the things I couldn't do and I love you for that, man. I'm supposed to not love you for that, but I do."