Dealing with Divorce

OK so divorce isn’t a swear word but it is a word that makes a lot of us teens as well as our parents shudder when it’s spoken. If you haven’t experienced this before here is a quick run down of how it feels at the exact second your parents are sitting on the edge of your bed and they drop the D bomb!

Imagine this! The Australian Prime Minister has gotten on national TV and said there is a meteor headed straight for you (he even says your name!!!) and there isn’t anything any scientists, armed forces, your best friend, your favorite cartoon hero or anyone can do! Your palms are getting sweaty, your head is all fuzzy and you’re seeing stars. It’s coming straight for you without any sign of slowing down and BAM!!! It’s crashed!! Right into your guts!!!

Alright so maybe it’s not that extreme for everyone. You might have been thinking for a while; ‘Gee mum and dad are fighting a lot lately. I reckon they are going to get a divorce’. So it might not be a huge gut wrenching shock like a meteor. Everyone’s family situation is different.

A lot of teens might hear the D word and start instantly thinking; No more family BBQ’s! No more Friday family DVD night! Christmas is ruined! Mum and dad won’t be together on my birthday! Who will take care of me? Where the hell am I going to live? Is this my fault? Oh my goodness! Maybe if I am nicer to my little sister, start doing my homework or do my chores before mum asks then they won’t break up! Who is going to pay the bills? What about my pocket money?

When faced with the D word many teens will feel anxious, sick, depressed and even angry. The best thing to do is to talk about this with someone you trust. This person could be a guidance officer or your school Chaplin, your best mate, your favorite teacher or even your footy/netball coach. If you just don’t feel like talking to anyone then a good option is to have a chin wag with your pet! Dogs, cats, snakes, mice, iguana’s birds and even spiders are always great for listening.

There is just one thing that you have to remember when your parents drop the D bomb on you. IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT! You parents still love you and they will continue to love you and some things in your life will stay the same. Your mum will always tell embarrassing stories in front of your mates; your dad will always tell the LAMEST jokes and the best part of school will always be lunchtime.

Contact Kids Helpline if you want some advice or to simply talk to someone about how you are feeling. Kids Helpline is a free, confidential and anonymous, telephone and online counseling service specially for young people aged between 5 and 25.