Adolescent Conflict

I know most people will probably write about bullying because it is a hot button topic in the lives of adolescents, but I’m not going to do that.  I’m going to write about divorce.  I think this is an important topic to write about because it affects so many families.

I do not come from a family of divorce.  I suppose because of this I am not writing on good authority, but I do know many people who come from a family of divorce or have gotten divorced themselves.

I couldn’t imagine what a child can go through when their parents are divorcing.  It must be so scary.  Listening to all the arguing, having one parent no longer live with you any more or to having to move completely must be frightening for a child to go through.   

Because parents are the ones who are experiencing it firsthand, the child may have to take a backseat.  This is where being a teacher, and understanding what the child is feeling is so important.  The child will need someone to talk to, someone who will listen and help them. 

I also think that the child will need someone to relate to what they are going through.  Because I have not experienced divorce in my own home, I can use realistic fiction books about divorce to help my students.  One of the key ideas in a piece of realistic fiction writing is to help the reader connect to what the characters are going through.  I know there are many books about divorce that I can use to help my students get through such a difficult and confusing time in their lives.