Things We Eventually Inherit From Our Step Dad

The ability to love someone properly

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Quite usually, step dads will walk into your life just after your dad has left. It's doesn't always mean your dad was a bad person, but a lot of the time it means that you're dad didn't know how to love your mom properly. Over time, your step dad will teach you everything there is to know about loving someone decently, and making them feel like a special person.

Cleaning up after yourself

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While your step dad might not be your biological dad, they'll still put you in your place if/when you need it. They're not there to clean up after you all the time, so that's not what to expect! They'll encourage you to take responsibility of your actions (and your mess) no matter the circumstances, and you'll be much better off for it later in life!

Adaptability to all situations

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We all know that situations can often get the better of us. Has your car recently broke down and you can't afford to get it fixed? What about the ceiling in your house falling through? Well, thankfully, you had a very resourceful and calm step dad growing up, who taught you all about facing the troubles of life with a stern face and a level-headed mind.

Pure dad humor

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Step dads, biological dads, adoptive dads, they all share one thing in common; that ridiculous and (really) not funny humor. The more time you spent around your step dad when you were younger, the more you've probably picked up some of them terrible jokes he often came out with. Well, on the bright side, you can pass these onto your kids (or step kids) now too.

The importance of family

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Your step dad might have joined the family at a time of turmoil and defeat while your mom was struggling to keep the family afloat. Often, step dads will join and will immediately start providing for the family, making life that much easier for everyone involved. They will teach you the importance of family, and that family isn't always blood relations.

Knowing how to help around the house

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Odds are, your step dad won't take your laziness and attitude. Your mom might, just for an easy life, and just because she's always cleaned up after you, so why not now? But your step dad won't bother picking up after you. He'll make sure that you know to help around the house when your mom isn't there, after all, he didn't join this family to be your maid.

Being the best at whatever you decide to do

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Step dads will often love you like their own biological child, and often that means encouraging you to become the best at anything you set your mind to. They'll also happily help you along the way, like picking you up from piano lessons, listening to your world-famous monologue, or sitting down to help you answer that math homework. After all of that, you'll inherit the ability to pursue everything with dedication.

Knowing the difference between a dad and a father

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You might be thinking, there's no difference between a father and a dad? Well, you'd be quite wrong. Anyone can be a father. It just takes having a kid with someone else. But to be a dad is something completely different and a lot harder. You must put aside all your own interests and passions, and put all your energy into your kids, making sure they always get the best in life.

The importance of time with loved ones

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Step dads will teach you that you shouldn't be around your family just because their family, but you should be around them because you love spending time with them. As you grow older, you'll inherit this sense of love for your own family, and you'll go out your way to make sure that your family felt the same way you did when you were younger. Step dads can be invaluable!

The weight of words

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Rebellious teen years, oh they're great aren't they? Not! We all either have siblings that went through these rebellious stages, or we were the ones that did it. While your mom might have put up with the endless rule-breaking, screaming, breaking things, your step dad simply won't stand for it. He'll make sure you understand the importance of the words you use when you're angry.

How to be outspoken

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It's not easy being a step dad, especially when it's someone else's kids involved. You're coming into a new family, and you want to make sure that they don't see you as a replacement of their dad before. But, ultimately, they deserve your respect, so need to be outspoken enough that you'll give that to them. If they're not, the chances are the kids will walk all over them.

The importance of being present

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While your biological dad might have taught you that being present isn't important, hopefully your step dad will make sure that you know how important it is. We get it, people work, but it's no excuse of missing every dance recital, every kids party, heck even every Halloween. You'll inherit being present from your step dad, knowing the difference it made to you as a kid.

To always say "I love you."

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Your family might've been somewhat dysfunctional before your step dad came along, and you might have never even heard these words come out of your biological dad's mouth. Well, your step dad will hopefully teach you that saying "I love you" is so much more important when there's no obligation to love there, but they do anyway. This trait will follow you through life.

Respect for your elders

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Your step dad will make sure that you always respect them. It might be hard at first, considering they're entering a new family, but in time they will teach you that you should respect your elders, not disrespect them for no reason. This motif will definitely resonate with you throughout life, when crossing paths with people much older than you, and is a great trait to inherit.

The ability to provide unconditionally for a family

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The first thing to know about your step dad is that he doesn't have to provide for your family. Realistically, he's there for your mother, so doesn't have any obligation to the rest of you. However, many step dads will still work tirelessly to provide for their family. This action will definitely be passed down to the step kids, who (in turn) will know the importance of providing for their family later in life.

Honesty - it's always the best policy

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Honesty goes a long way, and your step dad will definitely teach you that. If you've hidden things from your mom because she's scared of how she'll react, or you're just sick of her nonsense, then your step dad might have helped pry that information from your before she managed to. However, it's not his place to get angry, so this will inherently teach you that honesty is the best policy always.

The passion for your favorite sports team

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when your stepdad comes into your family, it's likely that he'll have a favorite sport and a favorite team, and he'll do everything to apply this passion and commitment to everyone else in the family. This means that, the younger you are, the more likely it will be that you end up supporting the same sports team your step dad did, and you'll pass this onto your own kids.

Car maintenance skills, of course

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Car maintenance; it's not just a skill that biological dads teach, step dads can also teach their loved ones the most important things about maintaining a car and making sure you know how to fix it if something goes wrong to avoid any hefty mechanic bills and fines. No doubt, these crucial and invaluable life skills will follow you into adulthood and you can pass them onto your own kids.

How to own being smart

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Being smart isn't always something to brag about; it's what you do with your smarts that is. A lot of people are naturally quite smart, but not everybody applies their intelligence to a field or career that will help them excel in life. Step dads will teach their step kids the importance of applying these smarts to something meaningful, and eventually you'll do the same too.

Knowing to never let life get you down

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Life can be pretty rough sometimes. It's fair too say that your step dad has probably been through his fair share of ups and downs, so will be speaking and teaching from a lot of experience. Your mom, who has to love you unconditionally, might be a little more erratic when it comes to something going wrong, but you're step dad has that much needed outsider advantage.

The skills to look after someone else's kids

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It's not easy to look after kids, they're A LOT of work. Early wake up calls, midnight feeds, making dinner, cleaning up after them, some people really do regret this life once they've had kids. What's even harder is that the step dad never really signed up to this life, instead they fell in love with someone and was greeted by messy, demanding children. It's hard enough to look after your own kids, but even harder to look after someone else's.

The knowledge of bettering someone's life

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Many step dads enter families where the biological dad wasn't very good, and this can often mean the family is relatively broken when they arrive. Your step dad might do about everything he can in order to better yours, and your mom's life. This dedication to making sure you all live happily will definitely be passed down into the step kids, who'd do the same in their adult life.

The ability to accept criticism

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It can be hard to accept criticism, we all get that. When we've worked really hard on something, or have done something without thinking, we often don't want to accept that we could've gone about it a little bit better. Your mom might be protecting you feelings when she gives your feedback, but your step dad won't approach it in the same way. He'll be honest about what you did wrong, and how you can improve, which will inherently be passed into you.

The strength to push through hard times

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Every family goes through some rough times. There's a number of reasons for it; ill health, financial problems, career problems. Your mom, who's might be in the midst of it all, while still feeling responsible for you kids, might struggle with balancing it all. Your step dad can show you how to be a rock for a family that's undergoing hardships, an invaluable skill later in life.

The importance of forgiveness

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Forgiveness is the key to life. You can't go all the way through life hating and regretting things. You have to let that stuff go. If you were a little bit older when you're step dad entered your life, you might have felt some resentment towards him at the beginning, and thrown some harsh words. Eventually though, you'll come round, and your step dad will happily forgive you.

A lot of curse words...

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Step dads are no angels. If the step dad in question didn't have any of his own kids before making his way into the family, then odds are he's got some pretty sketchy parenting skills. This means he might not watch his language the best he should when he's around the kids. That means growing up knowing a lot more curse words than your fellow classmates!

A financial mind!

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Your step dad might be pretty frugal with his money (maybe even one of the reasons he didn't have his own biological kids). This means that he could have a pretty sensible outlook when it comes to conserving money and investing it too. No doubt, if this is the type of step dad that yours was, he definitely passed down some of this crucial information to you.

The essence of not giving to receive

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A big thing that step kids will inherit from their stepdads is how to treat people kindly. The way he treated your mother would be a massive influence on this. After all, he fell in love with a woman who had her own kids, and was happy enough to pick up her family and help provide for them. Often, he would buy you or your mother gifts, with no expectancy of anything in return.

The skill set to look after everyone equally

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Your step dad will come into your family and make sure that he treats you all equally, and that's super important. Some people don't want to have kids, and that's fine, but for those that do, it's important that no child is your favorite, and that all of them get equal opportunities. Well, your step dad comes in with no preconceptions of you, and no hopes, so that makes for a good start.

Finally, the resilience to never give up

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Think about it; your step dad (who may or may not have had biological kids) fell in love with your mom, and (despite knowing how big her family was) took on a hugely important role in her life and your life as your step dad. That's a lot, and it's pretty easy to give up in this situation. Yet, if you're step dad stuck around, that's a big win, and that resilience will definitely be passed down to you.