Beating the Odds

Growing up, statistics were always around indicating children of divorced parents were worse off than children with married parents. As I have grown up and realized that odds have been and will continue to be against me, I am happy to report that I am doing just fine despite what media dictates. Here are some statistics that I have proven wrong:

- Children in single-parent families are six times more likely than children in two-parent families to grow up in an environment of poverty
- They are two to three more times likely to have behavioral problems
- More likely to drop out of school
- Be expelled or suspended from school
- More likely to become pregnant as a teen
- More likely to use drugs and become lawmakers

I am lucky to be one of the people who didn't face these issues. Instead, I grew up with an amazing mom who gave her children everything she could. She didn't let media and numbers dictate our futures. I am grateful for my mom who worked so hard to give her children a great future. As I work with children of divorced parents, I struggle with how they have so much anger and trauma from the divorce. It hurts me so much because I know they can reverse the trend if they choose to. I know they can choose to not repeat history. I simply hope one day they will.

(Pictures from Thanksgiving are coming...)