Short-stories from the childrend - Greek

First short-story-1st prize, by AROUN (11 years old)

I don't want my parents to separate, I would like my father to stay with us forever,
I would like to have day excursions at the beach with him rather than fighting all day with my mother.
When my cousin's parents divorced, he told me that they were fighting and because of that the police came. If I was in his place I would feel awful because I wouldn't want them separated. I would probably tell him not to worry because they might end up together again.
If my parents ever wanted to get a divorce I would suggest them to go to a Center for Family Mediation. There, I could play and my parents would wait for me finish and pick me up.I would also meet with the other kids from divorced families.
There, they can express their problems trying to find ways of solving them. They will convince my father to play with me and my mother to take care of me so I can have one love from two parents.

Second short-story-2nd prize, by MARIA (16 years old)

My name is Maria G. and I come from a divorced family. I blame my parents for fighting all the time in front of me rather than having a civilized separation. My mother denied my father visiting me. Which was very annoying.
There are many children in all over the world having the same experience as mine, fighting's, beating's e.t.c. and they have to face judges and court decisions concerning custody.
What I want from a center, like that of Family Mediation, is to help parents to divorce in a civilized manner without fighting for whose right or not.

Third short-story-3rd prize, by AKIS (15 years old)

I feel awful when a friend's parents are divorcing. I advise him not to worry even though I know my advice doesn't do any good.
I can ask him to stay with my family till they mange to solve their problems and we can go to the beach to have a small talk.
If my parents decide to divorce I would also feel awful, I would probably try to find a job (lifting objects) and find out why they want to separate, I would do anything to fix them up. I would suggest them to go to a center for Family Mediation to find out why they are fighting, it would also help them to decide who's going to have the custody of the children and manage the visiting. They don't split up often from where I come from, families always manage to stay together.

Fourth story, by Marios (21 years old)

My name is Marios and I am 21 years old. When I was 11 years old, my parents got a divorce and it was all really difficult for me, because I had left school and nobody was helping me, neither my mother nor my father.
My mother was unemployed and she could not support me. My father had a job but he had a new woman and didn't care about me.
After the separation, my mother and me moved from Athens to Thessaloniki in my mother's homestead and we were supported by my grandfather. I managed to finish the preliminary school with many difficulties. Then I tried to get into the high school, but since my grandfather could not support us anymore and my mother was sick, I had to abandon school and look for a job, in order to buy my mother's medicine.
I would like to say that my parents' separation was an ugly experience, because I had to miss many things from both of my parents.
I was seeing my friends having anything they wanted, and you understand how difficult this is for a child 11 years old.
Now that I am 21, I know how difficult it is not have your parents together.

Fifth story, by Husein (24 years old)

I would like to speak about the experience I had 17 years ago, when my parents were separated and we all, five children of us, were left abandoned. Now I am 24 years old.
My relatives and my brothers were strong and rough. I was a sensitive and calm boy when our grandmother took us. My father left us for another woman. I used to cry in every corner by myself. Every time I was seeing my father he was indifferent and it was killing me. I think I grow up very early. I had no one to turn to, so I was begging God not to let any other child to leave without his father, because when the parents get a divorce children are like flowers without any care.
Afterwards my mother threw me away and told me to go and live with my father. I died for a second time. She was so precious to me, like the Virgin Mary.
When the parents get selfish, children suffer unimaginably.

Sixth story, by Christos

If my friend's parents wanted to split up, I would feel bad for him. I would like for him to be happy, not be lonely, and not have problems. I wouldn't like him to do the same when he'll be a grown up.
The separated families are full of arguments, insults and abuses. I would like him to have everything he wanted, like clothes and toys, his own house.
I wish he had no guilt. I wish he had a good friend to be with him, to help him, to clothe him, to understand him, to love him.
These are the things a child should have from his parents.

Seventh story, by Christos (12 years old)

My name is Christos and I'm 12 years old. I come from Albania and this is the story from my parents' separation.
I don't feel good when I see other children with their parents. I get jealous. I feel very bad. When I fight with other children, they tell me that my parents are divorced. Then I start to cry.
I was once in a park full of children with their parents. Then a girl comes and asks me "how old are you?". 12 years old I answer to her. "And where is your parents?" I want
to cry. When the parents get a divorce, the child lacks of their home, school, love, everything. If my mother could go in a family mediator, he/she would say to her "sit down and tell why you want a divorce". And if my parents start to fight, he would say "why are you fighting, you should stop and think of your child".
And then I would say to the family mediator "please make my mam and dad to stay together". I would like my story to have a happy end.

Eighth story, by Varvara

My father was married before. His ex wife had psychological problems. So they got divorced after my sister was born. His father in law wouldn't let him to see his daughter. He was seeing her secretly, but there were a lot of fighting and the police was coming.
Then he married again and he had me. It would be nice to have a family mediation center, in order to make our parents to change their mind and conciliate them, because the child pays a hard price in these situations.

Ninth story, by Erhan (14 years old)

My name is Erhan and I'm 14 years old. My parents are not separated, but they often fight and I get scared. Then I think what would I do…I would get a job, to help my mam (my father wouldn't give any money and I wouldn't see him).
So, I would have a job to bring money in my house to care my mother and my brothers. I would take my brothers for a walk in the park; I would buy them toys and clothes. But I would always take my mother's advises.
If my parents were separated, I would never see my father again or talk to him, but I would miss his love.
When they get back together after a big fight I feel glad and strong to do many things.
If I was going to a family mediator, I would say to him that I don't want my parents to divorce. Otherwise, I would at least prefer to have a job and see only my mother.

Tenth story, by Daniel (13 years old)

My name is Daniel and I am 13 years old. My parents have been divorced because my father was seeing other women. My mother found out, so they split up. My mother had no job, only my father. One day she called my dad and told him to meet her in the family mediator's office. The family mediator talked to me first and asked if I wanted my parents to be like that. I said to him that if they keep being like that, I would leave the house. My parents heard about that and they agreed to stay together, I was very happy. My mother asked my father not to see other women and he said ok.

Eleventh story, by Elisaveth (16 years old)

I believe that in every country should be a family mediation center. It is good for children to have support. Children need both of their parents. This is what the Center does. When the parents separate from each other, the child suffers the most. The child is caught in the middle, hearing complaints from both sides. This is something that drives the child crazy. Especially, when you are 16 years old, my age, you cannot choose between your parents; it is a major crisis for the child.
Imagine how difficult things are for a child who is being sexually abused or maltreated. He/she has no one to turn to. I've been trough this myself and when I decided to tell my mother she didn't want to believe me. She could never imagine something so unspeakable like that. I know she loved me, but she was more interested in what people would say and not in me. Some times I don't know what to think about my parents and I feel awful, but then I say to myself that I won't waste my life for their mistakes.