I don't know if there might be a difference between boys and girls in these situations, but my skids are girls and are now 8 and 10. The thing that worked for me and worked wonderfully was that I let the skids set the pace. I didn't force myself on them. While I was just dating their dad and spending time with them, I was more like an adult friend of their father's. After moving in, I became more of a "parent" to them. I read to them every night and helped with homework, helped with showers, took them to the Dr. when needed, etc............I established some rules by running them by their father first and then we enforced them together. Although, I knew I loved the girls, I refrained from telling them until they said it first to me because I didn't want to say it to them and have them feel "forced" to respond in kind. These things worked well for us and now over a year later, the skids know what to expect when they come here and everybody gets along great.

**my stepdaughters did not grow in my tummy, they grew in my heart**

I have 4 sons 2 SS and 2 BS's, you will need to expect loudness, things getting broken, and fighting! That is just the being a boy part! Now where they are all close in age you may have an advantage, Try to get them to do as much together as pssible without parental interfearance. You must expect alot of competetiveness between them for your attention and between them, and there also will be jelousies. If you have them all full time the adjustment will be hardest proably for your son as he has never had to share you with siblings! But where they are young you can expect years of fighting and playing betweeen them and they will still grow up to be normal healthy boys who love their Momma!!(step-momma) Buy a trampoline!!! It has been by far the greatest investment I have ever bought for tireing out young boys!!!