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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The Effect of Divorce on Children … Especially Teenage Boys


If you take a walk down the “Self-Help” aisle of the local bookstore during your next visit, you will find no shortage of text written on the difficult issues surrounding divorce and the children who are sometimes caught in the middle. There are books advising parents on just the right way to talk to their kids about the unavoidable split. Others share important information regarding the legal maze that can develop from child custody battles. And, there are thick tomes that reach out to adult children of divorced parents who are still grieving even though decades have passed since the split occurred. There are certainly instances in which divorce is unavoidable. Homes in which adultery, abuse, or some unbreakable chain to an addiction is evident are not beneficial for any member of a family. However, there is much documentation to prove that even the most justified of divorces can have negative effects on the kids who were brought into the union.

I strongly believe that an ideal home will have an involved and caring father present every day. We see the consequences of absent fathers in the news every day. In my second book, Finish Line, I share the story of Justin Ventimiglia and his best friend Keith Pucchio. Both of these teenage boys are in desperate need of discipline and positive male role models, as the men in their lives have either disappeared or appear only to vent life’s frustrations at innocent family members. Without a strong father figure guiding these young men, they find themselves getting into trouble with an unforgiving neighbor who threatens both legal and financial consequences. It takes the mentoring of Curt Schroeder, who allows both Justin and Keith to work at the Prairie Winds Golf Course for the summer, to change these teenagers’ attitudes and get them headed in the right direction. The story of Finish Line shows that one person’s positive influence can make all the difference in the world.

Please click here to purchase Finish Line or my other two books, Lifetime Loser and Tuey’s Course.

2 comments:

Leslie Kohler said...

I like the theme of mentoring troubled youth. They can make such an impact and are so badly needed for so many young people.

Coffee said...

Good post. I agree that divorce can be devastating for teens. I'm raising two and have sole custody. They have turned out great -- both college material.

It is always a miracle to me when men step into the lives of children who are not their own. I think it is very rare especially in the case of married men who barely have enough time for their own kids.

Let's hope it is a trend that continues. Maybe your blog will help.