Step kids

Do you feel its best to be a parental figure to your step kids or a friend? Im my situation i am parental because I have been involved since my step child was less than a year old and my OH wants his child to listen to me when he is not around and his child is with me. He also agrees to the decisions i make regarding his child. Our parenting styles are very similar almost to the point of being exactly the same. So that is what works for us.