If you and your husband add a new baby to the bunch, the impact that child has on your financial life will be fiscal as well as emotional. Suddenly, your biological child gets more gifts from your family than your stepchildren do. You might feel more inclined to buy an outfit or a toy for your own child than you do for your stepchildren.
But when all the kids live in the same house and see that kind of favoritism, it can hurt deeply and bring up old divorce wounds. If you have a stepchild who throws a tantrum because your child got a toy and she didn’t, it’s not just about the toy. It could be that child feels rejected by her dad and displaced by your child.
A compassionate conversation about how much your stepchild is loved and needed in your family could provide the balm needed to soothe hurt feelings. You and your husband will also have to discuss how you plan to handle expenses related to the child you’ve had together. Don’t be surprised if you have to renegotiate how you split up household financial duties now that you have a baby in common.
It’s natural that you’ll both feel differently about the kids in your house and might have different expectations about where your money should go. Just be aware that a new baby will add a layer of complexity to your financial lives.
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