An estimated 50% of children witness their parents divorcing before they are even 18 years old. I happened to be a part of that 50%. As one can imagine, having divorced parents can be a real inconvenience when trying to make any sort of plans, or when trying to do anything for that matter.

My parents divorced around the time I had finished 4th grade. At that moment in life, I couldn’t see their divorce as too much of a problem. The only hassles were going back and forth between houses every week, and driving 30 minutes to and from school when I was with my dad. Other than those changes, not much else seemed to be different, at least for me. Little did I know that it would be a different story later on in life, especially in high school.

High school hit and everything became more complicated. It was nearly impossible to make any plans for after-school activities or hanging out with friends. Not only did I live far away from everyone, but my parents also worked all day long. On top of all this, I had loads of homework from all of my honors classes. Everything had taken a dramatic turn for the worse and it seemed as if nothing was going to get better for me. Thankfully, things began to look up for me as I went into my junior year of high school.

As I entered into my junior year of high school, I knew that something had to change. I realized that my parents work schedules had changed and that they had more time for me to make my own plans. I decided to get involved more and join the Nation Honor Society. I have also decided to play lacrosse for our schools team. My parents have been extremely supportive in the activities that I want to do. I now also have more time to hang out with friends and just enjoy being a teen while it lasts. Although there are still times when the divorce makes things a struggle, I know that it could get a lot worse.

My parents’ divorce had the biggest impact on my life. Even as my life continues to get better, their divorce will affect every decision that I make for the rest of my life. As I type this, I know that there are less fortunate children, who have also witnessed their parents’ divorce, that have developed cases of depression. I happen to be lucky enough to escape those feelings, but still feel for those who haven’t.