Divorce:

  • Didn’t want it to happen.
  • Glad my parents are divorcing and I can’t wait for it to be over.
  • Just another day.

Divorce is:

  • When your parents don’t love each other anymore.
  • When your parents can’t solve problems.
  • When your parents move away.
  • Fine with me as long as my parents are happy.
  • Relief from the fighting.
  • Good and I am glad, my mom and dad get along better now.
  • Stupid, and I wish that there was no such thing.
  • Sad.
  • Sad and stupid after so many years.
  • When mom and dad get into a fight – Steven age 5
  • When mom and dad break up – Kari age 8
  • When they don’t know how to stop fighting – Michelle age 7
  • When they took down the family pictures – Jeremy age 5

Finding the “good” in divorce:

  • Better for my parents.
  • The fighting stops.
  • My parents are happy now.
  • All the yelling used to mess up my homework, now I can concentrate.
  • Kids don’t have to listen to the fighting.
  • Extra money from dad.
  • I know that both parents love me.
  • Get to spend time alone with each parent.

The “bad” of divorce seems to outweigh the good:

  • There are lots of conflicts.
  • My family doesn’t live together anymore.
  • It’s confusing.
  • My concentration is off.
  • My school work is slipping.
  • I have bad feelings about how my dad treated my mom.
  • I don’t get to see both of my parents.
  • You only get to see one parent at a time, and it is usually mom.
  • I had to move from my house.
  • My dad really misses me.
  • There is no one to help my mom anymore.
  • I feel weird.
  • I don’t like the back and forth.
  • My parents are having problems working things out.
  • I am really confused, with mixed feelings.
  • My parents are confused about how to do things.
  • My parents are concerned about doing the wrong thing for fear it will be used against them as a parent in court.
  • There is no communication.
  • I don’t get to see enough of mom or dad.
  • Financially difficult.

If I could make a wish about divorce, I would wish:

  • There was no such thing as divorce – Adam, age 8
  • There could be something that would stop the divorce – Victor, age 8
  • I could have the same thing at each parent’s home – Alyssa, age 8
  • I wasn’t sad – Katherine, age 9
  • There would be no more fighting – Katherine, age 6
  • To live at one house with everyone there – Cameron, age 6