As a Stepfather, there are perhaps more boundaries for you as a parent. Respect those boundaries, and be sure to follow the same parenting rules as your new partner.
Whilst you might think it’s unlikely that a child who isn’t yours will love you as much as their biological Father, you’d be surprised at just how much and how quickly they can grow to love you. Remember that all children look for role-models and father-figures, so you're slotting into a natural place. Above all, be open, friendly, and give the child time to come round to you, rather than forcing the issue.
Being a Stepdad is one of the more difficult relationships to get right. Give yourself some pats on the back when you do a good job and don’t worry if you get it wrong sometimes - because you probably will. You are going to make a real difference to this child’s life and you're probably going to need help on the way. But that's why we're here, and Dads-Space will be running a series of articles on being a Stepdad.
Until we have more articles on the site, we’ve provided some useful links. We’d also love to hear from you about your experiences. Why not drop us a line at editor@dads-space.com.