I was the kind of child that parents tend to dislike. I was a know it all and thought I had every right to be. My mother was still a child herself when she started having children. The most important things in her life were partying with her friends instead of reading bedtime stories. She didn’t like her child telling her how to manage her money in an adult manner.

Because of my mother’s irresponsibility and poor money management skills, I became the parent in the family. First to my brother who is younger then to my sister five years after that. I would make sure the family was eating right, even if that meant having cheap food like macaroni and cheese or bologna sandwiches. I think the first time I cooked for me and my brother was when I was 5 years old and my mother left me along with my 3 year old brother so she could play Yahtzee with her friend down the hall in the apartment building.

I would check to see that their homework was completed at night. I was pretty good in school and very rarely had homework of my own which helped me to have enough time each night to help them. On the rare occasion that my mother was willing to help, I’d always have to correct her mistakes. Going to classes was not her strongest skill.

Since the rent was always late we moved around two or even three times each year. These moves were always within the same three towns but it typically meant that I would have to change schools at least once a year. As a matter of fact, I went to two different schools every single school year from kindergarten through eighth grade.

Because we moved around a lot I had trouble keeping friends. I was almost always the “new girl” and had to deal with all that entailed. Even if I lucked out and could go to the same school as before, the friends I used to have had already made new friends when I was gone. I felt like I didn’t fit in with that group anymore.

My mother finally divorced my dad when I was 12 since she felt more mature than him. My family’s emotional and financial difficulties were assuaged. We were forced to think about what was most important, like buying food and paying all the bills. We were finally able to live in just one home for the next eight years. I think it was wonderful that my brother and sister had the ability to stay in just one school for nearly their entire school career.

I don’t mean to imply that divorce is right for everyone; it just isn’t always a terrible thing, as some people assume. Every family needs to analyze their own circumstances and understand that it can often be the best solution to make sure that everyone is happy.

If you’re interested in more information, you can learn more about my practice as an good Austin TX family law attorney. You can also watch the Austin Divorce Guide Audio CD at www.TruslerLegal.com. If you need other answers, you can see our Austin divorce FAQ’s.

Tagged with: • •

Filed under: Divorce

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!