Living the Life of A Divorce

Fifty percent of all North-American children will witness the divorce of their parents. Almost half of them will also see the breakup of a parent’s second marriage as was stated by Furstenberg. Based off of those statistics, I ended up being within that twenty-five percent of the second marriage. I was able to learn quite a bit from being in that percentage. Remembering what I went through I will be able to explain the effect of my parents’ divorce on me from living arrangements, celebrating holidays to making life changing decisions.

When I was nearly six years old, my parents divorced and I stayed living with my dad while my mom lived elsewhere. As I was staying with my dad, I didn’t see my mom so often. I only saw her every two weeks. When I was eight, my dad ended up going to prison. Because of that, I moved in with my mom. During high school, I tried to make it easier by splitting equal amount of time with both of them. I acquired my license during my sophomore year and stayed every other week with each parent. I lived mainly at my mom’s house until my senior year. From there, I moved in with my dad for a year and a half, until I moved to New York to attend college.

Celebrating holidays was fun, but also a hassle. We would separate the holidays throughout the year and on the following year, we would switch it up. The fun thing was that I was able to celebrate the holidays twice; birthdays, Thanksgivings, Christmas. Usually, I went to New York for Christmas. With me being the only grandchild on my dad’s side, I was very spoiled. Then, I would go back to North Carolina to my mom’s, and get some more presents there. However, I found it unpleasant when I would want to celebrate with one parent but it was planned for me to be with the other. When my dad got out and I started spending time with him, on the holidays he had me, we would travel to New York to spend it with the rest of the family. One year Thanksgiving, the next would be Christmas. The past few years, I started choosing who I would spend the holidays with, and ended up celebrating Christmas at both houses. In the morning I was with dad and in the evening with my mom.

There was several changes in my life during this time and both of my parents have always wanted the best for me. Ever since I was four, my dream was to become an astronaut. Unlike most people that keep changing their mind, I’m one to stick to it. They have done so much to help me achieve that goal. My dad has taught me how to work really hard if I want to achieve a goal. Near the end of my freshman year of high school, my mom was told about a public high school that had a JRAFROTC (Junior Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps) program. Her boss’ son was enrolled into it, so my mom took a day off of work to go talk to the school and the instructors. That following year, I transferred to Northside High, in Jacksonville, NC. I came up with the plan to go to college and enroll into the AFROTC there. I did my research of colleges and the one that I came across is considered the best aeronautical school in the world. Embry-Riddle is located in Daytona Beach, Florida. The summer between my junior and senior year, we took a trip to Florida. We went there to celebrate my sister’s birthday, but we found a chance to be able to take a tour of the school. I’m currently planning on transferring there this coming up fall, and I have had my parents support the whole way.

My parents’ divorce had a major effect on my life from the choices I make to where I spend holidays and reside. I know I have dealt with it for many years, but I know I have to deal with it for many more to come. As the years gone by, it has been easier because I am more mature and know what it is I want to do. My parents agree with the choices I make and won’t argue with me if I don’t choose them. It would be easier to deal with things if that when two people marry, getting a divorce is not an option, no matter what.