A Life in a Nights Decision

            In November, I will be packing my bags to go to my dad’s house. I will be in the car for four to five long depressing hours. I will get to see and speak to my sisters for the first time in months. The one item I will not have is both of my parents.

            My parents have been divorced since I was almost two and my bother Logan was not born. I still remember the fight my parents had that frightening night. I remember the last words my dad said to my mom. He said I hate you. When, he left he did not even tell me good bye. I was his little girl and, he just left me there.

            Now I am almost seventeen and my brother Logan is fifteen. We both have two amazing little sisters named Caroline and Maddie. Caroline is a fun, loving, sporty nine year old girl and Maddie is a depressed seven year old.  We do not see each other on all birthdays or holidays. I have missed them growing up and starting school. I even have missed Caroline’s first kiss.

            Sometimes I tend to wonder “What if my dad would not have left would I be the same or would I be different.” I mean does it really affect people when their parents are divorced?

            When, children grow up without one of their parents it can cause many mental problems.

It can cause a child to be depressed. Depression is a state of sadness when one feels that they are unwanted or unloved.  A child can show many signs of being depressed. Some of the warning signs are saying they hate themselves, being alone in the dark, or having nightmares every night. When a child is depressed the best thing to do is get help as fast as possible. A child can and will go from being depressed to being suicidal if not treated.

            Divorce can lead to children being overweight. When a child sees their parents fighting it causes the child to over stress. When a child is stressed out it leads them to find comfort in food, which will make them gain excessive amounts of weight.

            In my own experience with divorce it does not always have negative effects on children. Sometimes in rare occasions children are not negatively affected by divorce but they are positively affected. My pastor John Scafter (also a psychologist) says “It depends on the child’s life before the parents divorce”. He says in an interview that children need love to survive but if they do not have that love from both parents then they will not be affected by their parents divorce.

            To conclude my point I have this to say children need love from both their parents. If they do not find this love then their life will be effected in someway.