# Are you a divorced kid? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 10, 2002, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744 "2002-04-10T00:26:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Magickly\_Delicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magickly\_Delicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magickly_Delicious)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/1 "2002-04-10T00:26:41Z")
Wanted to take a poll of dopers here, cuz I’m curious if I’m an oddball or not 😉 . I’m sure I’d like to ask a whole bunch of other stuff, but I’ll keep the tester short and simple: How old were you when your parents divorced? ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/2 "2002-04-10T00:41:33Z")
I think I technically qualify, but for obvious reasons I don’t think I should count. My parents got divorced when I was around 2 years old. They got remarried about a year or two later. So if that counts for anything… ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/3 "2002-04-10T00:46:11Z")
13 when they split for good and for all intents and purposes … 15 when officially gave each other papers & formalized ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/4 "2002-04-10T01:19:12Z")
18 months ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/5 "2002-04-10T01:26:55Z")
1. Things would have been better if they’d done it when I was 12. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/6 "2002-04-10T01:52:38Z")
Four. The fights and character assasinations continued full spate for another decade (at least in one direction). ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/7 "2002-04-10T02:03:40Z")
I was three when they separated, but they never actually got divorced (which, btw, I think is illegal). I’m in my 30s now, so the separation has been going on for quite some time. The goofiest part is that they’ve always been all chummy, so when I was a kid, I used to throw tantrums and scream “Why can’t you just get divorced like normal people?!?” I was very sour because I never got any of the divorced “perks,” like two summer vacations, because we all went on vacation together. Nor could I ever play one parent against the other, because they were always in cahoots. But in general, I do consider myself a “divorced child” since I don’t really remember a time when my parents lived under the same roof. ---
**Author:** ![FunLvnCriminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@FunLvnCriminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FunLvnCriminal)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/8 "2002-04-10T02:10:01Z")
I was 9. Turned my world upside down. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/9 "2002-04-10T02:13:03Z")
10 and 17. Long story. ---
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/10 "2002-04-10T02:27:55Z")
Six. And I’m still caught in the middle, thirty years later. ☹ Sheri ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/11 "2002-04-10T02:32:02Z")
My mom divorced Dad when I was 5, stepdad #1 when I was 8, stepdad #2 when I was 14, stepdad #3 when I was 22. Buncha’ shit every time… ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/12 "2002-04-10T02:36:51Z")
Last year, when I was 20. ---
**Author:** ![JessEnigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cdc98d/32.png) [@JessEnigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JessEnigma)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/13 "2002-04-10T02:52:09Z")
I turned 12 about the time my parents split up. Talk about a bad birthday. It was formal 5 or 6 months later. I’m 17 now. They’re still civil towards each other. I don’t think they ever hated each other, which is good, I guess. Confusing, but good. jessica ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/14 "2002-04-10T02:56:35Z")
Parents split up when I was 5. Mother nagging about money got to my father. Don’t recall thinking much about it. Very unusual at that time (60s), especially among classmates at Catholic school. They divorced in early 70s. By the time I entered college, I think at least 30% of my high school classmates were in the same position. These days it’s normal. My father married a 2nd time - a lesbian. Woops. And a 3rd time (living happily ever after). He has always felt extremely guilty about the example he set. My mother brought up 3 boys alone. They still phone and send Xmas cards, etc. I’ve never married, nor has older bro, but younger bro has. I have 3 male friends my age - all divorced with kids, and all remarried/re-marrying. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/15 "2002-04-10T03:03:40Z")
Four, maybe… Didn’t traumatize me a bit. In fact, probably one of the best things that could have happened for all parties involved. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/16 "2002-04-10T03:04:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Meatros \* > \*\*I think I technically qualify, but for obvious reasons I don’t think I should count. > > My parents got divorced when I was around 2 years old. They got remarried about a year or two later. > > So if that counts for anything… \*\* Wow! I’ve never actually heard of that happening… Mostly it was only a things a kid would dream of. ---
**Author:** ![dreamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@dreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamer)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/17 "2002-04-10T03:38:12Z")
I was 6 or 7 and the day my Dad left he took all my Mom’s clothes and put them in a trash can and set them on fire. I’ll never forget that day. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/18 "2002-04-10T04:53:44Z")
I was two when they seperated, but they didn’t get divorced until I was about 16 or so. I saw more of him after the divorce than before (only saw him about 4 times betwixt). The divorce was a mere formality, as there was no way on earth they would ever get back together. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/19 "2002-04-10T06:28:04Z")
8 when it happened. Mom left for various reasons, but apparently most of them were the little “He leaves his socks lying around, but I never said anything because I didn’t want to Nag” kind of thing. Dad got me and sis (partly because of mom’s alcoholism issues). I remember being upset for a while when it happened, but there wasn’t that much grinding and I got used to it, so it hasn’t really affected me negatively. Ironically, they like each other more now and are friends. Niether would marry the other again, but they are comfortable around each other. ---
**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744/20 "2002-04-10T06:32:33Z")
Well, I was 16 when they got permanently separated. I was 18 when the final divorce went through. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-divorced-kid/102744.md?page=2)