Over the last century the divorce rate has sky rocketed in American families from 700 thousand couples to now above 1.2 million of all marriages. Statistics, however, do not show the misery and depression of the children (www.sharedparenting.net/statistics/marrage.htm).

While the child’s parents are going through a process of divorce, the child often have emotional pain and confusion during and after the divorce. Children often take years to adjust to parents not living under the same roof.

“Having your parents not be together is hard but when it (divorce) happens, it happens,” Nick Crawford, ’04, said. “My parents have been divorced for 14 years, and I still have not yet recovered from it.”

While kids may get emotional over the fact that their parents are divorced, many say they have already adjusted to a home with one parent.

“Ever since I was three years old my parents have been divorced and I was little so I don’t know anything else,” Brian Casey, ’03, said. “I really don’t care, it’s not a big deal. You just have to move on and get on with your life.”

Of those who responded to a campus poll 10% of students indicated they were living in a divorced home.

“It kind of sucks when I use to switch house I never really had a stable home,” Greg Tharpe, ’04, said. “Now I am used to it, and I have a lot of family that supports me. It’s pretty cool.”

When parents go through a process of divorce, children often are forced to move from house?to-house coping with the fact that their parents will never be under one roof.

“Going through divorce for a student is extremely hard,” Jon Endicott, vice principal, said. “It is my hope that those students reach out for help and get support from friends, teachers and pastors.”

For students who need other support see campus pastor Scott Falk at 297-9464, ext. 121 or Endicott.