What I have figured out from trying to blend families (this is not my first rodeo) is this: Lack of communication, lack of boundaries, lack of consistency. Blended families perpetuate what broke the relationships in the past in the first place. So, we just drift along, the second or third time around, thinking everything will just work out. And step-moms are now blamed for any and everything because we want to address the problems and lack the leadership of strong men in our lives and our children's lives (all of them). Dads need to take charge and responsibility for raising their offspring and protecting the new family unit, not just pile all the challenges in our laps to deal with. You show me lack of drama, and I show you a REAL MAN.