Split the family; Double the fun

A) I chose this essay as one of my choices because I believe that i strongly showed my opinions on divorced families, and it tells readers many qualities about myself that I have gained only through being a child in a split home.

B) I think the essay stays on topic very well. The essay is not back and forth between negative and positive aspects, and my opinion is clear and did not change throughout the essay.

C) The essay  has many key points because I felt like there were a lot of different benefits that were important enough to write about. It seems a little all over the place.

D) Should I  lessen the amount of points I have tried to make, and organize the essay into fewer paragraphs?

Split the family; Double the fun

      Growing up I always had two Christmas celebrations, two trampolines, and I even got to go to Disney World twice. This was not because I had an odd obsession with the number two, or because I was spoiled, but because I grew up with divorced parents. I have lived in two separate houses my entire life. While some people would probably view children who have been forced to grow up in a split household as unstable or less likely to have a proper childhood, I disagree. Looking back, I loved growing up with my parents separated, and I would not change the way I was brought up at all.

      I ended up attaining more benefits than just having many material items. Although I had doubles of most things, my parents’ households were very different. My mother would almost over-care for me and my two sisters while my father had more of a “do-it-yourself” outlook.  Both of my parents’ attitudes helped mold me into being a very well-balanced individual. The way their approaches on parenting foiled each other strongly impacted many of the decisions I have made throughout my life.

      Another advantage to having divorced parents was that I learned how to be very optimistic. When I was still a child I would cry because my mom and dad weren’t together anymore. When I overcame this sadness it was because I realized that my life really wasn’t all that bad. Being positive helped me change the heartrending times into blissful times. I would reminisce about being back together as a family, and when I began to get sad, I would remind myself that instead I had two families, both of which are amazing.

      A down-fall to living in two different households was always being in the middle. My siblings and I found ourselves between every argument. It became hard not to blame ourselves for the fights between our parents because it seemed like their love for us was the only commonality they shared. With all of these struggles, I became skilled in problem-solving. I was able to talk out solutions with my family through being a mediator. Even though it sometimes seemed as if us children were the adults, the resolutions we came to were usually successful.

      All of the hardships either “side” of my family faced helped to bring my sisters and me closer together. We made important choices together, we matured together, and we were always there for each other. These things still have not changed. The bonds we have between us are strong and unbreakable, and we still look toward one another for guidance when times get tough. Having divorced parents made us closer than I believe we would have been if our parents had been together while we were growing up.

      Along with many children who were raised in homes with conditions similar to ours, we were forced to grow up very quickly. This is not something I regret, but something I am, and always will be, extremely thankful for. My experiences have influenced the way I think and act for the better, and I believe I am ready for any obstacle life may throw at me.