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Yesterday I threw a few statistics out via Twitter and there were just too many and I didn’t feel like loading up the stream with stats. I remembered that’s what I have a blog for.
I’m in the process of taking some classes on child psychology and have come across some shocking stats and good information. I am learning a ton and becoming a better parent and I think I would be cheating you if I didn’t share the info.
The first stat is worth repeating:
photo courtesy of zunior.com
Every 24 hours 3,000 kids watch their parents go through a divorce. Wow! I mean, really….WOW! We can talk about divorce rates all day, but percentages do not tell the story.
The kids…..the kids tell the story and live it. I’ve lived it. My parents divorced when I was two years old and if I’m honest I’m not really sure I was all too affected. That’s a testament of my awesome Mother, but I do know that not all kids have that luxury. I mean, it’s hard for me to try and picture how life would have been different cuz, well, I have no idea. Maybe some of you can tell me what I missed cuz really, it’s all about perspective. I imagine I could take the whole “whoa is me” route and blame every bad thing I have done on the fact that my parents were divorced and maybe my brother and sister have a different view as they were 9 and 10 years older, but from my point of view, it’s life and is what it is.
I wish I could get all complex on ya and preach on how my experiences in a divorced family were detrimental, but I don’t have that for ya. What this class has given me though is the assurance that stats don’t lie and I am an extremely blessed and rare product.
Some stats:
- Suicide rates in teens have TRIPLED since 1958.
- High cholesterol rates in kids has jumped from 25 to 41% in the past 10 years.
- Stress induced cardiovascular disease has DOUBLED in the last 10 years.
Are these stats solely because of divorce? No, but I promise you divorces aren’t helping the matter. Divorce is the act of ending a marriage. The word is over simplified as it is so much more than that. The stress in the family; on the kids; cannot be told in one word. We will dig deeper into stress on another day, but I’m sure you understand, stress is NOT good, especially for kids.
The thing that stuck with me most wasn’t a stat, but a line from one professor. He said, “your kids view of God is 95% based on YOUR relationship with God.” That hit me pretty hard cuz it’s SO true. Our kids know the God that we show them. We can’t pray during meals and at night and read the Bible about giving and loving and then scream at them, scream at our spouses, cuss like sailors, make fun of people…..I could go on and on. All I can think of are kids asking questions like…..
If God is good, why are you and Mommy not together anymore?
If God is good, why are you yelling at Mommy?
If God is good, why are you yelling at me?
If God loves us and is always there for us, where is He now?
We, as adults, can handle those questions, but our yelling, screaming and living any way other than the way we’re commanded to is not creating Christians.
Those actions create atheists.
Lots more on this stuff to come, but for today…..
Are your parents still married? Are they divorced? If so, how old were you and can you see, today, how it has impacted your life? If they’re still together, how has THAT impacted you?
I know…..lots of questions….Sorry
