Hello Sharon,
I raised two step-daughters.  I told them about their natural father when 
they were 13 and 10 yrs respectively.  One accepted it well and we still have 
a great relationship.  The other began dreaming about a "superman" who was 
off there somewhere.  She dreamed that if she could only meet him that all 
her troubles (in school, with boys, etc.) would evaporate.  Seeing what it 
was doing to her, I made a trip which just happened to be routed through her 
natural father's town.  When I got to the city limit I asked her if she 
wished to visit him.  She said she couldn't.  I could tell she didn't want 
her "dream" to go away.  After leaving home and settling into their own lives 
a few years later both daughters sought their natural father and met him and 
his wife.  The daughter with the dream still is in contact with her natural 
father but the other was satisfied in meeting him and has never (and will 
never) see him again.  I can't tell you what is best.  All I can tell you is 
that different personalities see the situation in entirely different ways.  I 
can tell you there was a bit of bitterness in my part having a step-daughter 
who I loved, raised, spending countless hours helping only to have her love 
her natural father more.  I have a relationship with both of them it's just 
that I now only love one of them.  I've learned not to be bitter but that 
doesn't mean that things are ever going to be the same.  Your step parents 
were simply afraid of losing you.
Jeff
--- Maximus 2.02
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