Half/step siblings

Yes.

You’ve explained to them what their technical relationship is with their siblings/half siblings/step siblings.
Now leave them alone! How they deal with and define their relationships is up to them, not you. Stop being so controlling.

Yes why can’t they say brother and sister? I don’t understand why it’s an issue and you feel the need to correct them.

you are trying to create issues and cause trouble in your family that doesn’t exist - does seem kind of psychopathic

Local authorities conduct extensive interviews to make sure adopted children are not placed in situations where this would become the dynamic. It’s a big reason why they like adopted children to be the youngest children in the family by a number of years.

That’s not how adoption works either.

If someone has a biological and adopted child do they love the biological child more?

I see from your later posts that you have accepted that YABU, so I won't go on about the sibling issue, but I did want to let you know that there are many step parents who continue to have a relationship with their step children after their relationship with the biological parent has come to an end.

My own biological father left when I was 2, and I have only seen him a handful of times in my life. However, when I was 4, my DM married my step father (DSF), and despite them divorcing when I was a teenager, he continued to be an important part of my life. I'm now in my 40's, and DSF never had any biological DC of his own, but to me he is the best Dad I could ever have hoped for. He's been there for me through everything, has helped me in emergencies, looked after my DC when needed, bailed me out of problems - everything a biological father should do for their child. My DDs call him Grandad, and I've always called him Dad. He's in his late 70's now, and has recently started to show symptoms of dementia, which is heart-breaking, but he knows that whatever happens, I will be by his side because whether we're related by blood or not, he is, and always will be, my Dad. No tattoos though, sorry!

I have 4 biological children by two different dads and one step daughter. They are all brothers and sisters. They are very close though.

yes because they want nothing to do with him so they don’t get the privilege of being anything to him

In response to this, yes you are. You are causing hopefully unintentional rifts. Why does it matter if they aren't fully blood related? My kids have 'aunties' who are really just friends who have been there more than some family actually had. The me as a person, if I grew up hearing that from a stepparent all the time I'd feel like I was a lesser part of the family. You really need to rethink this.

I have a half brother, I've never referred to him as that ever, he is just my brother.

A "step sibling" I'd probably called "step" sibling but would depend on the situation. If they'd lived with me full time since baby / toddler I'd probably say brother / sister, but if it's a blended family when older, I'd probably say "step".

I think it's up to the children, other people's confusion / nosiness isn't their problem.

So actually she hasn't had any step siblings at all, and doesn't now? Fathers girlfriends kids are not step siblings

Evidently you haven't read my previous comments, so we will leave it there. The funny part is it is you who has made assumptions.

I have 2 "half" siblings on my mums side but I don't refer to them like that, they are my sister and brother, though my brother was born after I left home

Yes I do correct my dd if she refers to them as 'brother or sister'. She now calls them 'step' in front of me.

My ex goes through girlfriends like water and she'd have at least 2 new brothers or sisters a year. The last one has stuck for a few years which is good for dd as its stability, but we did once have a heated conversation about the fact that her step siblings aren't blood related and certainly not mine so I'd prefer if she refers to them as step, at least when I'm in earshot

I’m from a very split family and in total there are 10 of us full, step and half brothers and sisters but I don’t refer to them as that. They are my brothers and sisters no matter how divided we all are. To force a child into your way thinking is not the right thing to do.

So my kids have a half sister. They’ve only ever called her their sister. And I’ve never had an issue. I sometimes refer to her as their other sister. Don’t think we’ve ever used the term half sister.

I did however have issue with them calling their sister’s mum their step mum. She wasn’t married to their dad. Their dad and her lived together for a few years with their half sister. Mine would visit. Dad and this woman have since separated so they never see her now and now refer to her by her actual name or their little sister’s mum.

Gosh no! I have only given birth to one child but he has a sister. She is a whole person not a half person. She did once call my son her half brother to which her mum said something along the lines of - he’s the only one you’re ever going to have so you might want to not call him half a person. He’s your brother.

My husband has a half brother but again. He’s the only one he has so he calls him brother.

I don’t really no how to vote on this one.

I have 2 sisters. 1 is a “half” sister. But it’s never felt that way. I have never even thought of her as anything other than my sister. I think because we are all from the same mum and have been brought up together.

My “sperm donor” has 2 other biological children and a step child. When we did see each other still if I spoke about them I did say step and half. I don’t actually see them as my siblings.

This makes me so sad. Growing up, if talking about my mum and stepfather, I would say “my parents”. He wasn’t technically my parent, he was my stepfather - my Dad is still alive and around. But for a child it’s exhausting having to explain your family situation all the time by using the technically correct terms. Especially if it’s not relevant to the situation in hand and you just need a shorthand. I did accidentally say it to my Dad once, and he was very upset. Understandably so. So I did try not to use the phrase in front of him again, to spare his feelings. But when talking to anyone else it was just a handy convenience. Don’t overthink it. And be thankful that your children have formed strong bonds with their half and step siblings.

My DD is 4, her half-brother is 22. She knows him as brother and nothing else. She knows her daddy is his daddy too and that he has a different mummy to her. He will never be referred to as anything but brother but if she asks questions about their relationship when she is older, I'll obviously clarify for her, but cannot imagine using the term 'half brother'
Her brother also has other various half and step siblings, who he refers to as sisters and brothers.

My half brother is just my brother (paternal side)

My other half brother (maternal side) is also, just my brother

I have 2 sisters (share the same dad, but not mum) 14 and 16 years younger than me and have always lived with Dad and Stepmother, (I lived with my mum growing up). I have always thought of them as Sisters, never really wanted to split hairs and refer to them as 'half'. I would feel like it would put a strain on what relationship I do have with them and also feel annoyed if I kept getting 'corrected' all the time. It shouldn't matter to me, or them I don't think. unless one of them needed a kidney, or something and they needed a direct match, or my DC start asking questions once they get older and notice my mum is not their mum and I would have to explain the difference then. 🤷‍♀️

I grew up with my half sister and always referred to her as my sister and never thought any different ( same mum different dad and 5 years between is).

one day suddenly as an adult she refers to me as her half sister! I was absolutely shocked and hurt, relationship has never been the same!

No absolutely not

Call him your current husband - keep him on his toes! 🤣

My children have older brothers who are their Dad’s sons. They call them their brothers because they are their brothers 🤣