It isn’t easy being from a divorced home. Parents split. Lives are changed. Kids are shuffled around. Things are never the same.
But it doesn’t have to be all bad. I wrote this post a while back about the before part of divorce, and wanted to give a glass half full after divorce perspective. There are actually some interesting advantages that kids find in the process of living in two different places, splitting their time between two parents, two families possibly, and some are starting to see the positive side of things. Here are some highlights from the bright side:
- We get two of everything – 2 Christmas’, 2 rooms, 2 birthday parties, and on and on….
- If I can’t get something at one house, there is the possibility of still getting it at the other. Like maybe one parent likes dogs and would let you have a dog, when the other parent would never allow it.
- My family has grown and there are more people to love me. More parents, grandparents, step siblings, cousins, etc. Not only do I have more choices, but more people to share the love with.
- I might get to be an only child in one house, and one of many siblings in another house.
And if there is a single parent household on one side of the scenario, even more possible benefits:
- I can crawl into your bed without you even noticing. There is more room in there for me now when I want to sneak in in the middle of the night.
- My parent is excited for me to get my license because they need another driver in the house. They actually encourage it and push me to get it right when I turn 16!
- I only have one person to convince to let me do something. I don’t have to check it out with both parents and make sure they agree.
- They are not as strict. One parent doesn’t have as much energy, so sometimes I get away with things like curfew, minor infractions…as long as I don’t get arrested.
Even though many children may not choose their family situation or like it, it is important to be able to pick out the positives no matter what you may be dealing with…one parent, or many parents. Keep looking up!