My stepson's biological father is an addict who keeps promising to visit and then doesn't show up and I have to watch this kid's heart break over and over while pretending his dad might change.
More people experience this than they realize.
Being the witness to a child's repeated abandonment while being unable to either fix it or fully replace what's missing reveals the limits of love's reparative power.
“Where Are You with Stepparenting and blended family dynamics?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.