Hey gang,

I'm back with yet another stupid question.

Can those of you who are, or were raised by Step-Parents please help me define what one is.

My wife and I are still headed for divorce, as I have touched in other threads, but I need to know what the role of a step-parent is in a marriage, or even in a relationship.

My wife refuses to specifically define what she expects my role to be, in the next few years, but she has told me that her daughters don't want me to be their dad, since they still have him, and I have not asked for that role, but she also says that she doesn't want me to be a parent to her daughters. She wants me to be her husband, however. I don't understand how I can be one and not the both.

What does being a step parent mean? How much input do you have as one...what things can a step-parent define involving the children. Obviously each case will be different, and most definatly not as messed up as mine is, but I JUST CAN'T define what being a step-parent is.

Since I am a product of a non- divorced marriage myself, and to be honest, I never grew up knowing what a step-parent is/was when I was growing up.

Thanks.