We are a family. We are a family in every sense of the word. We use that word frequently and because of the different last names (children from prior marriages and then the one between us) it felt like LESS of a family, or at least the 'step' children felt that way, so we made a 'family quilt' with everyone's first and middle name embroidered in the quilt. It hangs on our wall. Last names do not make a family, love does. When one of the kids have an even, we ALL go, required. Even our 21 year old, who usually would rather be doing something else than going to a five year old's play. But we STRESS family. We have family meetings, we have family vacations. Nothing is different in our house/world than any other family, except a piece of paper. That might stun you, but it's true.
That is sooo nice!
I am sure your family is indistinguishable from any other family on the outside. However, Would you say the social change that occured in the 70's and the dropping of commitment and the value of marriage has increased or decreased the measurables of a healthy society? If it has increased the good in the society how do you explain the overwhelming counter statistics to that statement?
I mentioned upthread that my husband's mother is in a long term live-in relationship. My husband was 7 when they all moved in together (he was 3 when they started dating). What you are doing is MUCH, MUCH better than the situation he was in.
My husband knew from early on that he was there in the household because he came with his mom. The man never tried to build a separate "father-like" relationship with him. Had my MIL died, my husband would have been shipped off to live with other relatives because the man just wasn't that invested in him. It's very sad to think about.