In today’s society, divorce is more prevalent than ever. According to the National Center for Health National Center for Health Statistics, about 50% of all marriages end in divorce, and those numbers are expected to rise.

While divorce may only be between two people, it’s important to remember that it also affects the people around them as well, especially children.

As kids we watch our parents intently, we idolize them, and we look at them as a pair, rather than individuals. The idea of them splitting up is often something that no child sees coming. This idea of a perfect marriage is shattered with just one heart-breaking decision.

A lot of how a child handles their parents’ divorce has to do with how old they are at the time. You are either too young to understand what is happening, old enough to understand that this is for the best, or at an age where this situation makes it feel like the world is ending.

In any case, watching your parents separate is a pivotal moment in anyone’s life. Having your parents together is all you’ve ever known and the thought of seeing them move on from the life they once lived is scary.

After everything is finalized, adjusting to a life with two individual parents can be difficult. Constantly switching between houses can be exhausting and feel pointless. Seeing your friend’s family pictures and knowing that you’ll never have that “perfect” traditional family dynamic ever again can be heartbreaking.

They say people don’t like change, and this is often a detrimental change for kids.

However, through all of the heartache and bitterness that comes along with divorce, it doesn’t mean that it has to change who you are as a person. Even if you don’t understand it at the time, one day you’ll understand that your parents did what was best for them and that their happiness is important too.

You’ll adjust to the divorced parents' lifestyle and learn how to act as the mediator for your parents when necessary. At the end of it all, the love between parents and their children will never be hindered by divorce.