There’s a lot I appreciate about this article, but I think it’s important to be thoughtful about calling attention to an issue vs making a broad sweeping stereotype. In other words, stepparent/stepchild relationships can be fraught and unhealthy (or even toxic and abusive) for many of the reasons you’ve outlined. It can be a very challenging relationship to get right.

That said, if people are conscious and thoughtful, if they work hard and go slowly and carefully, then it can be a healthy and positive relationship. It can even, as one commenter said, bring something positive to the child’s life that they are missing.