We just read some new facts and figures that made us think about a subject that unfortunately will never go away.
Did you know that every year in the U.S., the parents of one million children get divorced? Wow! That's like, the population of a small city! Think about your friends, neighbors, and schoolmates. How many have divorced parents? Probably at least a few, or even half, right? It feels like divorce is pretty common and normal, and it is...but that doesn't make it any less sad or difficult for tweens who go through it. That's why Divorce was one of the first topics we covered, and why the divorce You Said It page is always filled with comments and advice from other IML'ers. Stop by and share your story!Divorce is hard enough, but then (sometimes) comes remarriage. Here's another "whoa!" factoid: in the U.S., 1,300 new stepfamilies are formed each day. Adjusting to a new stepparent and possibly new step-siblings can be really scary, but there's good news. Experts say that while a new stepfamily can be rough going at first, if everyone works together, eventually kids who live in a stepfamily are happier than those whose parents never remarry after getting divorced. IML talked to some tweens who feel that way; check out Stefanie's Story and Cortney & Joshua's Story. These stories remind us that where there is love, communication, and teamwork, there is always hope!
