Stephanie’s story | “I cannot express adequately how the trauma of my childhood has carried over into my adult years.”

by Them Before Us | May 15, 2020 | EXPORT, Stories

When I was just a toddler, my mom married my stepfather.  She had just dissolved her marriage with my biological father mere months earlier.  My stepfather brought 3 of his own children to the marriage.  He had been divorced from their mother.  My baby brother was a...

Alice’s story | “I spent my teenage years proving to him that I am worth loving.”

by Them Before Us | Feb 5, 2020 | EXPORT, Stories

This was the day when my world fell apart. I was only 7 years old. It was early summer. My father was away for 2 weeks with his band and I was waiting for him to come home. My 10 year old cousin was over at our house that day. I remember my father approaching so we...

Rashell’s story | “I can say with 100% certainty that my life would have been so much easier had my parents just stuck it out.”

by Them Before Us | Jan 21, 2020 | EXPORT, Stories

My parents were young when they married. They were both 17. My mother was still in high school and pregnant. She graduated but my dad didn’t. He worked in the oilfield in Oklahoma and made great money when times were good. I was their only child. I’m 41...

Laura’s story | “I grew up in a world where marriage didn’t mean anything, and nobody stuck around for very long.”

by Them Before Us | Sep 30, 2019 | EXPORT, Stories

I was nine years old when my parents told me they were getting a divorce. I was coming home from summer camp. I’d had a horseback-riding accident at camp and fell on my arm. I needed to see a doctor. My parents picked me up together. I told them about my arm, but they...

Christie’s story | “I’m in my 60’s and I’m still unpacking what happened to my sister and I as children.”

by Them Before Us | Aug 10, 2019 | EXPORT, Stories

Thank you for getting the word out on what happens to children when the adults break the traditional family structure. I’ve been wanting forever to somehow get out there what happens to the emotional life of a child when you don’t have parents, family, a...