Take a minute to ask yourself, how often is it now that you meet someone whose parents are still together? And not just "physically together," such as sleep in the same bed a few times a month, but together as in still able to make each other smile every day , still able to tell each other "I love you" every day and actually still possess the feelings to mean it? Maybe 90% of the people you work with at the office? Or how about 85 percent of the kids in your math class at school? Or even 90 percent of the kids at the daycare your child attends? Actually, try only “50 percent of America” according to the American Psychological Association. Shocking isn't it? Well, now consider the fact that “40 percent of married couples with children in the US are step-couples (at least one partner had a child from a previous relationship before marriage)” according to Smart Stepfamilies. Don't forget though, “50 percent of all the children born to married parents today will experience the divorce of their parents before they are 18 years old” according to Children and Divorce. Most people believe divorce is not a real issue, but when the statistics are right in front of you, the issue is challenging to deny.

Most people think that the financial side hits you the hardest, but actually it's the emotional side that feels like a gut punch that knocks the wind right out of ya. Everyone thinks that divorce (otherwise known as the "D word") is the key to happiness. The key to relieving all of your stress from your partner that you never seem to agree with anymore , that you never seem to find attractive anymore, that you can never quite seem to actually see or spend time with anymore. It's all fine and dandy for the man and woman thinking "yes, financially I'll be hurting, but overall my life will be 100 times better." So you end up taking your perky little mindset to court where you battle it out with your use to be lover, deciding who gets to keep the house, the car, the dog, the vacation home you once spent so many weekends alone in. And the list continues on until you get to that one thing. That one item that you should ultimately put first before any and everything. That one object you should always have faith in and love more than any and everything. That one piece that you could never overlook...until now. It's your kids. The individuals who will suffer the absolute most, beginning the very second you lift your pen from signing those papers and declaring yourself single. Most people will say "I'm doing this for me, they'll understand" or "I know it'll be tough but they'll get through it" well just know, they never will. They will never again live their lives to the absolute fullest all because of your carefree choices.

Don't get me wrong, I love my parents, but for the sake of everyone reading this, before your consider the "D word" think about all of the missed birthday parties, first day of school pictures, dance recitals, split holidays, bringing home the first bad report card, football game days, first steps, shoe shopping, first crush, split holidays, competition of who can give the best Christmas gifts, and so many more amazing memories meant to be shared together as a family. But most of all; think about the piles of once meaningful photos of a smiling mom and dad with their children before you make your final decision.