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Doug and Darcy Learn About Stepfamilies

Doug and Darcy Learn About Stepfamilies
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 3 to 4
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   5.17

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    dates, dating, remarried, counselor, excited, especially, honeymoon, marriage, celebration, professional, accept, however, bowling, daughter, longer, feeling
     content words:    Susan Wilson

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Doug and Darcy Learn About Stepfamilies
By Joyce Furstenau 		  
1     Doug and Darcy were excited. It was their mother's wedding day, and they were in the wedding. Their mother and Bob were getting married. Bob would be their new stepfather. Bob had a daughter from a previous marriage, so they would have a new stepsister, too. They would soon be a blended family.
 
2     It was hard for Doug and Darcy at first. There were so many changes going on. When their parents got a divorce, it was hard. When their parents begin dating other people, it was hard. Both of their parents would now be remarried. Doug and Darcy had many complicated feelings to work through. Darcy liked her dad's new wife, but Doug had a hard time adjusting to his new stepmom. Neither of them liked seeing their dad only every other weekend. Over time, however, they began to adjust to the rhythm of their new family routines.
 
3     Doug and Darcy had received counseling after their parents' divorce. Their parents agreed that the children needed to work through these changes with a professional. They attended counseling sessions once a week at first. Over time they went less often. They were still attending sessions with their counselor, Susan Wilson, when their mother met Bob.
 
4     Doug and Darcy thought that talking things over with Susan was helpful. They said they felt better about things after their counseling sessions. Susan explained to them that everyone needs time to adjust to family changes, even grownups. Doug was having an especially hard time adjusting to his dad's new wife, Jennifer.
 
5     "She is always with Dad. I never get to talk to him when he's alone. I miss those times," said Doug. "I wish things were back to the way they were before the divorce."

Paragraphs 6 to 13:
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