How to explain step parents to young children

[MotherOfBeagles]

I'm pregnant with my first child and my parents first grandchild. I was brought up by my mum and my step dad from about the age of 8 after my "real" dad left when I was 7. I don't have any contact with my "real" dad but my youngest brother still does. However due to a lot of abuse and involvement from social services which led to me going nc my "real" dad will not have access to my child.

My step dad will be my children's granddad and will no doubt be fantastic as he has been in raising me and my brothers. He will be their only granddad until they are a lot older and if they want to make contact with biological then I will give them a chance to do so, in a safe way.

My question is, how do I explain this to my child whilst they are younger? I don't call my step dad "dad" as I was just too old to change when he moved into our lives. Surely kids will ask questions about this?

I know this is way way way too early to be worried about it, the thought is just swimming round my mind and wondered if any wise parents or step parents of mumsnet had any advice.

Dh's step dad was just "pops" to dd. Dh called him by his name. When dd asked about it we just explained that he is Nan's husband. Nan is daddy's mummy. Dd never asked about daddy's daddy, but if she did we'd have said that we don't see him.

Kids are fine with very simple explanations, and they love the people they know. I don't think they miss people they don't know, at all.

Don't worry about that now. Family is family doesn't have to be blood it's who's there throughout their lives.
It won't matter to your child that he's not your real dad because he will see the relationship you to have and that's what is important

I don't think it needs to be explained. My Grandad is one of my favourite people in the world, it was never explained to me as a child that he is my dad's step dad, because his "real" dad was never in the picture. As I got older I realised dad calls him by his name at times and asked, but it doesn't change anything he'll always be my one and only Grandad.

Thanks all. Bit of a relief to know that kid is likely to just accept and be happy with the status quo! I have no doubt he will want for nothing as my step dad is going to be an awesome granddad. Just one of those things I keep worrying about. Baby books etc people have bought aren't helping - "tell me about how grandma and granddad met" "how old was grandma and granddad when you were born" ummm lol

I called my nan's husband 'grandpop'. Never thought anything of it.