Is Ashley Kaufmann Lindsey and Ali Lohan's New Sister?

Lindsey and Ali Lohan may just have a 13-year-old sister named Ashley Kaufman. No, their mother is not expecting. Michael Lohan, Lindsey and Ali Lohan's father, has reportedly taken a DNA test yesterday, according to The New York Post. Michael Lohan has admitted to having a relationship with Ashley Kaufmann's mother, Kristi Kaufmann, in 1995. The New York Post article references similarities to the Lohan clan and reports that Ashley Kaufmann has freckles similar to Lindsey Lohan and that she has Michael Lohan's eyes. In Touch magazine has recently published pictures of Ashley Kaufmann, one of which is a cover shot.

Though he has submitted to a DNA test, he still denies that Ashley Kaufmann is his daughter. If the DNA test does not show that Ashley Kaufmann is his biological daughter, he plans to sue Kristi Kaufmann for libel and defamation. The results are due back in two weeks.

Blending Families

A surprise sister can be a huge shock to an already established family. Provided that Ashley Kaufmann does turn out to be one of the Lohan clan, blending her into the family can be a challenge. Lindsey Lohan, who turns 22 today, may have an easier time of accepting a new sister into the family since she is an adult and on her own. Her sister, Ali Lohan, who is just a year older than Ashley Kaufmann, may not. While Michael Lohan has claimed that he would not force a relationship between his children and Ashley Kaufmann, Ali Lohan is a minor, and as such, has no choice but to go along with whatever her parents dictate.

Tips For Blending Families

As a young adult at Lindsey Lohan's age, my parents divorced and both remarried. Both of their spouses at that point had adult children. As adults, we didn't see each other much except for family Christmases and Thanksgiving dinners. One thing neither of my parents did was to force a relationship. While it is nice to have everyone get along, they realized we were all adults and responsible for forging our own relationships if we chose to do so. They knew we were well past the Brady Bunch in terms of becoming one as a family. Forcing a relationship will do nothing but foster resentment.

However, while not forcing a relationship, if you do plan to blend your families, you should start talking about it right away. Keepkidshealthy.com offers some excellent suggestions for blending families such as spending time one-on-one with the children, starting new traditions and holding family meetings.

If Michael Lohan's brief affair with Kristi Kaufmann did result in the conception of Ashley Kaufmann, then Michael and his family will need to focus on blending 13-year-old Ashley into the family, as he will be financially responsible for her if the DNA tests come back as a match.