Step-parenting is an impossible job. No matter what, you'll never be that kid's bio parent, and deep down, they know that–but that doesn't change the potential connection you can create with a child as their father figure.
That's why when they say that the stepdad can be more than just a dad, they mean that a stepdad has the potential to be the dad who stepped up.
But there are instances where stepdads can misstep, creating a rift with their stepchildren that only widens with the introduction of bio children into the mix. For the girl in our next story, things got complicated in the family when her half-siblings were born. Although she was raised from a young age by her stepdad and always called him 'Dad', once her other siblings were born, he seemed more interested in parenting his bio children. Year after year he continually favored his biological kids over his stepdaughter and by the time she was a teenager, the reality of his betrayal set in.
As she grew up and got wiser to her stepdad's favoritism, she leaned heavily on her dear ol' grandpa for emotional support. He was her rock through several difficult years and now that her wedding is steadily approaching, she decided to make a wedding decision that would reflect her years of neglect. Scroll onward to read about how a girl stood up for herself against a 'dad' who picked favorites, by selecting her own favorite father figure.