Doris and her children live with Doris' second husband. How does this arrangement compare with other remarried families?

• A. It is the most common structure in remarried families.
• B. It is the least common structure.
• C. This type of custody arrangement is less common than other remarried family structures.
• D. It is less common than families with stepmothers.

Answer: (A)

When thinking about remarried families, the most common pattern is for the mother’s household to include her new husband, with the children living in that home. In this setup, Doris and her children living with Doris’s second husband reflect that typical arrangement: the mother’s home expands to incorporate the new husband, who becomes the stepparent to the children. This pattern is more common because daily life and custody usually center around the custodial parent’s residence, and the new spouse integrates into that household rather than creating a separate, parallel arrangement.

The other possibilities describe less typical structures: for example, scenarios where the children mainly reside with the father or where the family’s living arrangements are split or organized around different custody dynamics. Those patterns occur less frequently, which is why the described arrangement is identified as the most common in remarried families.