On June first, the day after I graduated high school, I was informed that my parents were getting a divorce. Now according to statistics about half of American children will witness the breakup of their parent's marriage. Knowing this makes divorce seem like a common thing and easy to get through. However, the effects my parent's divorce has had on my sister and I have been detrimental. .
Divorce causes a change of roles in the household. Due to the fact that I legally am an adult, I have the choice of which parent I want to live with. Unfortunately, my sister wasn't graced with this privilege. She goes one week with my mom, and then the following with my dad. The lack of her presence and the presence of my father increased the roles that I have in the household. I didn't realize just how much my father did around the house until he was gone. I now have to add typical household chores, such as, laundry, cleaning, and cooking to my already full schedule. The schedule includes 17 credit hours of classes, coaching varsity girls basketball, and working at the YMCA 20 hours a week. This extra work has made college even more difficult than I imagined. I also have to help take my sister from point A to point B during the week, because my mom can't. She often times needs ride to and from school, practice for basketball, band practice, riding lessons, and social events. However, because she goes back and forth every other week, I only have to help out the weeks she's with my mom.
Another major effect that the divorce has had on my life is that my relationship with my father has grown somewhat distant. Living with my mother all the time makes seeing my father difficult. Besides school, work, and all the chores at my mom's, it makes it incredibly difficult to have much time for my dad. Before the divorce we were really close and did everything together. However, because my horses are at my mom's house I have no choice but to stay there.
