ther, has financial problems after a divorce. Facing these financial problems, the mother is more likely to be absent, physically or emotionally (Feifer 9). But as the research shows, remarriage doesnt seem to eliminate all the problems. One issue that is being studied is the differences in families that have a full-time stepmother versus those families with a stepfather. So far the research has shown that families with a full-time stepmother fare far worse than those with a stepfather (Herbert 62). It might be that step mothering is just more difficult, because the childrens bond with the biological mother is very powerful. For the most part, a man can be a good stepfather simply by being a provider and a nice guy, but a stepmother is usually called upon to establish empathy and attachment, traits that are very difficult to establish, and impossible to fabricate. Other research shows that stepchildren are less likely to be provided for. Studies confirm that biological mothers around the world spend more family income on food-particularly milk, fruit, and vegetables-and less on tobacco and alcohol, compared with mothers raising non-biological children (63). Whatever the reasons, stepmothers and stepchildren are the losers in these reconfigured families. The issues surrounding step families have launched a conservative assault supporting the indictment of step families. This assault is fueled by the support of evolutionary psychologists who contend that parents have evolved over time to care only about the welfare of their own genetic offspring (Feifer 13). These ideas are being used as a way to lobby for stronger pro-family social policies. If step families are so unnatural from a genetic point of view, they believe, then something should be done to preserve traditional families and to prevent divorce. This includes a number of resolutions for the marriage movement group such as pro-marriage tax policies to the so-called covenant...
