Reasons I am the way I am

As I have grown up, there have been many events and people that have influenced my life.  One main event that has influenced me and continues to influence me, is my parents divorce.  

When I was in kindergarden my parents got divorced.  I don't remember very much about what my life was like when they were still married.  There are bits and pieces that I remember but none of it is very clear.  I lived with both of my parents until I was in seventh grade but now I live fully with my mom.  My brother and I lived with my mom more days of the week but we still stayed at my dads twice a week and every other weekend.  I don't know the exact reason why my parents split but I can guess why they did.  My dad has a lot of emotional issues from what I have experienced growing up.  My mom probably got tired of his issues and I don't blame her. 

I get along better with my mom, as we are very similar in our mannerisms; this also made my relationship with my dad strained.  My parents are very different so when my brother and I stayed at the different households it took some getting used to.  My dad is very strict, he would make me clean up after his messes, he would sleep in very late, and when I was staying at his house I wasn’t allowed to be with my friends or have “play dates” as we used to call it.  He would say things about my mom that would make me think differently of her, trying to make him the victim and me running in his arms rooting for him.  Although that is not how my mom is at all.   My mom is the polar opposite of my dad, she is active, hard working, and helpful.  I started to resent my dad and I still don’t have the best relationship with him. He isn't a bad person but he has his own way of handling things.

I didn't have any friends with divorced parents when I was younger so whenever there were big family trips to the beach or to the mountains it was always my brother, my mom, and I.  It was a little different for me because all of my friends had both parents around and I would only have my mom.  So if all the girls went to do something with their dad, I would have to tag along with them since my dad wasn't there.  It wasn't necessarily something that made me upset, it was just a different experience for me.

Situations like this and going between parents made me more independent and strong emotionally.  I can't pinpoint exact situations but this event in my life has sculpted me in so many ways.  If my parents had never gotten divorced I would be a completely different person.