A child of divorce faces repeating the mistakes of their parents when they grow up and get married. There is hope in healing and finding success in marriage.
Table of Contents
Child of Divorce Grown Up
I was 11 years old when my parents divorced. My world was rocked in ways that I’ve talked about on this show and other shows. There was the sense of having to grow up faster, take on the home duties my mom once had and protect my heart from the heartbreak my dad experienced. It turns out this is not so uncommon (aacap.org).
We eventually grow up and it’s our turn to get married, have children, and create our own legacies. Those who are not aware of their pasts are doomed to repeat them. The same goes for children of divorce. If left unchecked, our pasts will influence us to repeat the unhealthy relationships our parents demonstrated. Unhealthy coping mechanisms and negative thoughts and beliefs become magnified.
13 Saddening Children of Divorce Statistics for 2022 (LegalJobs.io)
Our guest, Sarah Geringer, faced depression, feelings of unworthiness, and knew that something had to change. She needed to heal before she could see any real success in her life, especially in her family relationships.
In This Episode
Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:
- The wounds a child of divorce carries growing up
- The impact of future relationships for children of divorce
- Overcoming negative outlook and avoidance behavior on relationships
- Addressing and growing past the pain of shame
- Forgiveness is a path forward – our parents are people, too
- We define our lives going forward – it is our power and responsibility
- There is happiness and healthy marriage in the future for a child of divorce
- For parents who have divorced, let’s talk about grace and healing for you, too
Sarah Geringer
Sarah is a Christian author, blogger, speaker, and artist. Wife and mother of three. Lover of flowers, dark chocolate, and hot tea.
Her parents divorced when she was four years old. Growing up included being shuffled between parents, observing the infidelity of one parent with multiple partners, and questioning her own worth as a person.
You can learn more about Sarah’s work at SarahGeringer.com.
Resources and Links
Listen to Sarah’s podcast that focuses on a grown-up child of divorce, Adult Child of Divorce Podcast.
Read this article from HelpGuide.org on what parents can do to help with the healing process for a child of divorce.
Listen to these past episodes:
“Family Honor” (The Story of The Real Jerry Dugan) Ep. 45 of Letters from Home Podcast with Meg Glesener
SWOT Analysis for a Healthy Marriage – BtR 293
Healthy Marriage 8-Episode Series Recap – BtR 239
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