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A stepparent's financial support can help make relationships with stepchildren better.

Financial support does not have to be large to be important to stepchildren.

Helping children pay for things that matter to them builds bonds.

It helps stepparents when someone else points out to stepchildren the financial support they receive.

Can money buy a stepparent love from a stepchild? Well, the Beatles (and other songwriters) have told us, “No. Money can’t buy you love." But research tells us, “Maybe,” or “It depends,” or “Sometimes.” Let me explain.

Researchers studying stepparents and minor-aged stepchildren have reported that a stepparent’s generosity can contribute to more positive relationships with stepchildren. In a review of research that my colleagues and I wrote, we clunkily called this dynamic "stepparents providing stepchildren with tangible goods and resources," which is an academic way of talking about stepparents giving stepchildren “stuff.”

The “stuff” that stepparents give to their stepchildren that benefits their relationships ranges widely, from buying stepchildren ice cream, candy, and other small treats to paying for college tuition, purchasing a car for a stepchild, or just generally raising the stepchild’s standard of living. By standard of living, we mean things like providing bigger houses or apartments in nicer neighborhoods, purchasing name-brand........

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