Dad’s House, Mom’s House

Today, nearly 50% of marriages end in divorce. If it’s a second marriage, that number rises to 60%. In third marriages, it is 73%. The number may be higher among marriages with children who have disabilities or health issues. The stresses and challenges of working to meet your child’s needs can take a significant toll on your relationship. 

My child’s dad lives three hours away. It’s not as simple as having him picked up at school on a Friday and dropped off at home on a Sunday evening as his dad has health issues that prevent him from driving. It is not practical for me to drop him off three hours away and pick him up again on the same weekend. For this reason, we rely on a relative who meets me halfway. Visits don’t happen every other weekend; logistically, I’m not able to do that.

I try to help prepare my son’s things when he spends weekends with his dad. I put all his daily meds into morning and bedtime days-of-the-week containers. I also pack clothes in labeled gallon Ziploc bags for each day. Anything that I do to aid them is ultimately going to benefit our son’s quality of care. Plus, I’m the one who must help him when there are missed medications or no bedtimes. 

Although I miss my son when he’s gone to visit his dad, I try to remember the BIG PICTURE. Having a relationship and time with his dad and his dad’s family is beneficial to him. It is good for kids to have many people loving them. Regular involvement from both parents is very important. Making that happen is good for them on all levels. We are all doing our best for our children. 

Read the Dealing with Divorce pages for more insight.