National Stepfamily Day - Here’s to all the incredible blended families that are making it work!

National Stepfamily Day 2024 – September 16, 2024

National Stepfamily Day is celebrated onSeptember 16 every year. Families come in all shapes and sizes — small, big, biological, adoptive, and even step, and they all deserve to be celebrated. Unlike most types of families, members of a blended family choose to come together. Whether it’s because of divorce, estrangement, death, or another reason, stepfamilies need to unite and rebuild their lives together, and that deserves recognition.

History of National Stepfamily Day

While love and appreciation go beyond just one day, there is something special about taking out some time to celebrate on a designated day. Special days have been around for a long time such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Daughter’s Day, Sibling’s Day, etc. However, blended families were unable to get the recognition that they deserved.As times changed and society became more accepting, recognition came into place for concepts that were historically considered nontraditional. Divorce and remarriage became more common and hence so did stepfamilies. Along with the internal struggles of blending families, stepfamilies have also been subjected to stigma and negative stereotypes by society. These families are expected to fit into negative roles propagated by film and television which often makes it even harder to make things work. Despite this societal pressure, there are thousands of blended families that survive and thrive through all the hurdles for the sake of love and each other.Today, in the U.S.A., over 30% of the under 18 population lives in a stepfamily environment. Blended families are now more common than ever and deserve a day to be celebrated and recognized. Driven by this, stepparent Christy Tusing-Borgeld created National Stepfamily Day in 1997. Since then, September 16 of every year has been a dedication to stepfamilies all around the nation, including her own.

National Stepfamily Day timeline

8th Century
‘Step’

The prefix ‘step’ is first used in its Latin form ‘steop.’

1993
“Becoming A Stepfamily”

Patricia L. Papernow outlines the seven stages of development that stepfamilies go through.

1997
Stepfamily Day

National Stepfamily Day is officially declared.

2006
National Stepfamily Resource Center

The Stepfamily Association of America develops and expands the NSRC.

National Stepfamily Day FAQs

When is National Stepfamily Day?

National Stepfamily Day is celebrated on September 16 every year.

Is there a day for stepparents?

Yes, National Stepfamily Day is a day to celebrate and recognize all members of a stepfamily.

How many stepfamilies are in the U.S.?

Approximately 114 million Americans are involved in some form of a step relationship.

National Stepfamily Day Activities

  1. Spend quality time together

    Use the day and spend some quality time doing what you love to do together as a family — cooking a nice meal, having a games night, watching your favorite family movie and getting take out from your favorite place, and so forth.

  2. Go outside

    Take the celebration outdoors. You could plan a family hike followed by brunch, pack a picnic and take it to the park, enjoy some outdoor sports, or even have a sunny celebration by the pool!

  3. Tell them how you feel

    We often forget to let our loved ones know we love and appreciate them in the hustle and bustle of daily life. Take this day to sit with your family and let them know how you feel, have that conversation you’ve been meaning to have for a while, or even take this chance to smooth things over if things have been rocky.

5 Noteworthy Facts About Blended Familie

  1. They are blending everyday

    Approximately 1,300 new stepfamilies are formed in America every day

  2. There are more stepdads

    According to a census, stepdads are more common than stepmoms in stepfamilies.

  3. They are more common than you think

    About one in three Americans is a member of a blended family in some form.

  4. They have their struggles

    Nearly three-quarters of stepfamilies express a lack of resources available to them.

  5. They are widespread in America

    Americans get married, divorced, and cohabit and/or remarry more than any other western society.

Why We Love National Stepfamily Day

  1. It reminds us to appreciate

    National Stepfamily Day gives people the chance to slow down and look around at the beautiful blended family that they are surrounded by. It is a reminder to appreciate and express gratitude for what they have.

  2. It encourages communication

    While it’s true that actions speak louder than words, words of affirmation can be essential from time to time. National Stepfamily Day creates a space for things that may not have been openly expressed before.

  3. It fights stigma

    A day of celebration for blended families and their success stories shows the world that stepfamilies can work. It proves that blended families are more than their stereotype and they can be beautiful families with love and respect for one another.

National Stepfamily Day dates

Year Date Day
2023 September 16 Saturday
2024 September 16 Monday
2025 September 16 Tuesday
2026 September 16 Wednesday
2027 September 16 Thursday