The "D" Word
By Emily, age 19, Newfoundland
Sweet Designs Featured Writer
So when we think about the word marriage, what do we think? Love, commitment, and yes, even sex. But when we go to a wedding, do we think, "I wonder how long it will be before the divorce?" Well, maybe occasionally, but in reality, divorce has taken over the western world.
The Census Bureau in the United States claims that 43% of marriages are doomed to fail. That's pretty high, people! It's pretty tough being a kid with divorced parents, especially when your parents fought more after they divorced than they did when they were married. I should know. I've been there.
When I was 9, my parents started fighting more and more. One evening, they came to me and explained that they just weren't getting along anymore. I can remember the devastation that I felt. I had always wanted that perfect "Brady Bunch" family, and now my family was falling apart.
Getting used to the whole idea of switching houses was the hardest. My mom moved only 15 minutes away from my dad's house where my brother and I lived for the most part. They used to meet in a public place, so that if a fight occurred there would be people to intervene. It was a good thing. My parents constantly fought. Eventually they even had to have police escorts witness the switching from one parent's care to the other.
In the meantime my brother and I saw my mom on Wednesdays and every other weekend. We had to take clean clothes with us every time, and looking back it was pretty inconvenient. A lot of things got lost in translation.
I think the worst part was that I was too young to understand the situation. My little brother was only one when my parents decided to get a divorce, and even though we thought that he didn't understand, it became evident in his behavior that he really did. As for myself, all I knew was that I was tired of having to deal with it. I didn't know why they divorced or why they fought so much, and it was just frustrating! Soon my school started seeing problems with my behavior too.
The point is, if your parents are getting divorced or are already divorced, don't sweat it too much. Yeah, your parents aren't going to be together anymore, but it could be a good thing. They might fight less and even get along better. Who knows?
But the important thing is to be mature. Life will go on as you know it and things will get better. And who knows? Your parents might end up marrying really nice people!
Much Love,
Emily
