by Robert
(Amsterdam)
Hi,
I divorced five years ago. We have a beautiful daughter. She was 16 at the time of our divorce.
Before and at the time of our divorce, my daughter did very well at school. At the age of 18, she went to university. Unfortunately, she did not manage. Myself, my friends and my daughters friends are all very surprised. She was a brilliant student before she went to university. I am wondering whether our divorce has something to do with it. If it is, how do I know and what could I have done to make her perform better?
My wife left me. I felt very sad about it and it took quite a while to be able to focus on the future. With the support of my dearest friends, my family and my daughter I managed to accept my new situation.
Our divorce can be called a "low conflict" divorce. My wife moved to a different house only a few miles from where I live. My daugther insisted on shared custody. Of course we respected here choice. She lived about 5 days with me and then 5 days with her mother. In the holiday season my ex wife and I scheduled our vacation trips one after the other. This gave my daughter the possibility to leave on holiday twice in summer. One time with her father, another 2 or 3 weeks with her mother. She loved it.
The first year after the divorce was difficult for her. I think she secretly hoped that my ex wife and I would reunite one day. However, she never told me. On special happenings she tried to have both of us present.
1,5 years ago, she left her parent's homes. Now she shares an appartment with 2 friends.