After His Divorce, Dad Makes Heartbreaking Discovery Inside 7-year-old Daughter's Bag
By
Jamie Vos in
Heartbreaking
On 22nd January 2016
advertisement
Divorce is a challenge to cope with for all involved, and the changes it presents to children can often be overwhelming. For Imgur user dfGobBluth, the gravity of the situation hit him square in the chest.
According to his original Imgur post, dfGobBluth found the heartbreaking drawing in his 7-year-old daughter's backpack. The image depicts a distraught girl standing between two houses — one labeled "Daddy's home" and the other "Mom's home" — with question marks above her head and a split arrow pointing in both directions. It appears the figure in the center is struggling to decide where to go.
advertisement
According to Psychology Today, it's common for a young child of divorce to express feelings of confusion and displacement. As the family unit has been split, the child may experience temporary instability, insecurity, or distrust. However, the alternative of staying in an unhappy marriage "for the sake of the child" may also result in adverse effects, such as exposure to an unhealthy relationship.
In a follow-up comment on his post, dfGobBluth defends his decision to divorce his ex-wife, stating, "My new wife who has been in their lives for 5 years and I have a very happy and loving home for my girls. Their mother is doing well too. Children need to see happy relationships. Not dysfunctional and angry ones." Though it may be painful to see his daughter's emotions expressed in this sad manner, Psychology Today emphasizes that with "three R's — Routines, Rituals, and Reassurance," the child's trust can be restored and even strengthened.
