Approximately forty-five percent of all people in the United States will marry, divorce, and remarry. Due to this statistic and the increasing divorce rates, the number of blended families is also increasing in the country. Getting remarried can be very difficult most of the time, which can make your in-laws a complex institution. A complex institution is one that affects people in multiple ways. For example, it can cause physical and mental problems and stress. On the outside we may see a very happy couple who have just remarried after a divorce, but on the inside it may be a completely different story. One thing that many people don't consider before remarrying is the effect it has on the people around them and their loved ones. Children will typically have the hardest time with a new stepparent or stepfamily. Blended families affect children both mentally and physically. It can be very difficult to adjust to having a new mother or father figure in their life, or even new siblings. Sadness and depression can arise because children who were so used to receiving a lot of attention will not receive as much now and their lives usually change dramatically. Many children want their parents to be together, especially younger ones, and they don't want to have to change their lifestyle. It is in the change in lifestyle that we see the physical aspect taking hold. Many children may have had a certain schedule with their single parent, but as soon as they remarry, that may change. If your mother wants all electronics to be turned off at eleven o'clock on the weekend, and that's how it's always been, and then all of a sudden your stepfather comes in and decides that he wants it to be ten o'clock when he's thin... ... middle of paper ...they're not happy with our other parent. Young children don't understand and just want their parents to be together. It can cause a lot of heartache when children finally realize their parents will never be together again. Parents may never truly realize the impact that having a new blended family has on the people around them, perhaps even their other loved ones. This certainly leads to a whole new resocialization of the lives of the people concerned. This is a growing trend in the United States and a real need for parents to think about the mental, physical and emotional impacts it has on people. around them. This can be a very difficult adjustment and can sometimes lead to another divorce, which will only lead to more difficulties. We must remember what is best for us and our families before making this huge and difficult change in our lives..