What Constitutes a Half Sister?

If you've recently had some changes in your family or know someone who has, it's natural to be curious as to what new relatives should be called. Some people don't use the term half brother or sister at all, and just consider all siblings the same.

  1. Definition

    • A half sister is a sister that has only one parent in common with her sibling. For instance, your half sister might have the same mom as you, but different dads, or the same dad that you have, but different mothers. Either of these sibling relations would be a half sister to you.

    Difference Between a Half Sister and a Stepsister

    • Some people use the terms half sister and stepsister interchangeably but they are not the same. A half sister is related by blood to you by one parent, while a stepsister is related to you by marriage. A step sister has two different parents than you, but is related to you because her mother or father is married to your mother or father.

    Does it Matter Whether You Share a Mother or a Father?

    • By definition, a half sibling is related to you in the same way regardless of whether the parent in common is the mother or father. According to the Tech Museum of Innovation, siblings who share a mother have a little amount more DNA in common than siblings who share a father, but the amount is so tiny that it makes no difference.

    Half Sibling Relationships

    • Half sibling relationships vary as much as other relationships within families. Some full siblings are close and some are not, and the same is true for half siblings. Factors that might affect how close half siblings are is how much time they spend together, how close in age they are, whether other siblings exist and the dynamics of the whole family. Whether parents treat half siblings the same can also affect how the siblings relate to each other.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How to Strengthen the Bond Between a Stepfather and Stepdaughter
      Whether youre a stepfather trying to get to know your new stepdaughter or a biological mother who is trying to facilitate a bond between your new husband and your daughter, being part of a blended family is far from uncommon. Roughly 20 percent of al
    • Small Families
      Is it OK for a child to grow up in a small family?Most newly married couples today plan to have only one or two children, compared with three or more back in the early 1960s. The reasons for this shift include a trend toward later marriage, more emph
    • How to Mother Your Step Kids Without Crossing the Line
      When you marry a man who has children, you have a built-in family without the benefit of a nine-month pregnancy to adjust to becoming a parent. In addition, the kids are probably not infants that you can influence as they grow and develop. They have