Getting over a divorce takes time. When you've finally recovered and decide to settle down again, you face yet another difficult challenge: how to make your respective kids get along. For a lot of just-married divorcees, this is a tough challenge, and one that doesn't happen overnight.

Here are a few tips to help you out.

Understanding

Bear in mind that your respective kids have their differences (what with growing up in different households). Understand that these differences will naturally arise between or among your respective kids. With the romance of a wedding, the idea of a new family and a new household is sometimes pushed to the back of family members' minds.

That is why as much as possible, family members should meet together whether formally or informally, with a counselor or clergy, to talk about the expectations of the new family.

A family "meeting" also provides the venue for members to air out their issues (if they have any) and voice out their needs and desires before the new family moves in together.

Tolerance

Knowing that your respective kids have their differences, it is important that they learn to tolerate them. Encourage your kids to take the time to get to know each other. Tolerance and understanding can really help a lot in fostering a relationship between your respective children.

When conflicts arise a compromise should be reached. Teach each family member to respect their differences. Disrespect should never be tolerated in any type of family.

Compromise

Compromise is another key element in building relationships among your respective kids. Take for instance family traditions.

During special occasions, the new family can take traditions from each side of the family to pacify the kids. Or better yet, create your own traditions to promote unity in the family.

Spending time together

Take time to plan activities that your kids can participate in together, even before the new family moves in. Keep this up after the new family has moved in. Your respective kids need time to get to know each other so it's important to provide them venues to do just that.

Encourage them to spend time with each other and then pair off together, to give all the kids a chance to get to know each other well.

Keeping in touch

Teach your respective kids the importance of keeping in touch. Regardless of whether the children grew up together or not, it is important to have regular communication. There are a number of ways to stay in touch: phone calls, letters, notes, cards and email.

Even if you're respective children are already adults, encourage them to communicate with their step-siblings.

Be in-the-know

Making your respective kids get along can really be a challenge. If the situation seems hopeless to you, there are a number of materials available to help you deal with the problem.

If your respective kids are unable to resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner, you should step in and provide guidance on how to resolve the issue/s in a positive and constructive way.

You may also seek the help of a counselor; since an outsider can be an objective solution to help the kids establish healthy step-sibling relationships. It is important that each family member understands that building healthy step-sibling relationships take time.