The Japanese have a term, kenzoku, which translated literally means family.. The connotation suggests a bond between people who've made a similar commitment and who possibly therefore share a similar destiny.
The laws in different states vary on whether a stepparent in this situation may have child custody rights or pay child support. In some states and situations, the stepparent may be ordered to pay child support if the stepparent loses primary physical custody of the child.
Child support are payments made from one parent to the child's other parent to cover a portion of the child's expenses. When one parent does not have custody of the child, ordering the noncustodial parent to pay child support is a way of ensuring that he pays his fair share.