All your friends whose parents have divorced tell you, “NO WAY…GIVE IT UP!” You know they’re right, but there’s still a little part of you that keeps hoping. You know in your heart that your Mom is really happy now that she has this new guy in her life. And your Dad? He never looked better since he found this girlfriend of his. So why can’t you just let go and be happy for them?

Well, first of all, they never asked you before they split.  They never even warned you so you’d be prepared. But most of all, you liked things the way they were when you, your mom and your dad were all together as a family.

No matter what they say or do, their breaking up was hard on you, and it hasn’t gotten easier. As much as you may like the new people they’ve chosen to bring into your life, you still wish none of it had ever happened. They’ve told you that their splitting up had nothing to do with you. You know you shouldn’t feel guilty, but you do and it hurts.

Every time your dad picks you up for the weekend and your mom gives you a hug or looks away, you feel the pain. You try to tell yourself that the people they’ve chosen to be with are OK. You’d probably even like them if it weren’t for the fact that they’re around so much.  By being around, they constantly remind you that the ‘mom and dad’ family you once had will never return.

Remember ‘You’re Not Alone’…almost 50% of marriages in America end in divorce, adding up to over 20 million divorced adults.  There are more than 3,000 children and teens a day that see their parents’ marriage end in divorce and 40% of the kids in America live without their father. Click here to discuss the situation with others if you’re comfortable sharing, or read expert and role model stories if you’re looking for some words of advice.