HEATHER ORCHARD

American Author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

What has prepared Heather in life is finding her purpose and having a passion to make a difference. Growing up, she was known as quiet, shy, pretty, but nice. At times, she felt like she lived in a world where she wondered if she would ever be TRULY seen, heard, and understood for who she was. She fit in - but she never felt like she truly belonged.

This is where her depression started, and this is when she found writing to be a way of therapy for her. Her writing was a way that she could display her thoughts in a safe place - her journal. Her writing allowed her to feel seen, heard, and understood by the pages she was writing on - even if they would never be read, she was able to express herself freely with no outside judgment…. That was a life-changing moment for Heather because, for the first time, she was able to feel the power of her writing and realized it was her gift.

BEHIND THE BOOKS

What inspired Heather to write this children's book on divorce, remarriage, and stepparents was to help give other blended families like her own to have faith, love, and courage. Faith that everything will work out. Love every day, even if it is a struggle, and to have the courage to always try and never give up. Heather also wanted to teach and show young children how blended families can be positive and bring happiness to any situation.

AVAILABLE RETAILERS

My SUPER Family - A Book for Blended Families that covers the topics of divorce, remarriage, and stepparents is available online on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, eBay, Books A Million, Good Reads, Book Topia, Indie Bound, BLACKWELL'S, Mightyape, Indigo, and more to come!

My SUPER Family, by Heather Orchard, is now sold in 8 countries - the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, United Kingdom, Norway, and the Netherlands.

DIVORCE IN AMERICA

"Every 13 seconds, there is
one divorce in the United States.
That equates to:
277 divorces per hour,
6,646 divorces per day,
46,523 divorces per week, and
2,419,196 divorces per year.

Over the past fifty years, divorce in the United States has undergone a significant cultural shift, reshaping traditional definitions of marriage and family. As family structures have evolved, divorce has become an increasingly common experience for American adults and children alike, contributing to the emergence of diverse family arrangements, including single-parent and blended families.

In the United States, researchers estimate that 40 percent to 50 percent of all first marriages, and 60 percent of second marriages, will end in divorce. No other industrialized nation has a higher divorce rate than the United States.

The number of children born out of wedlock each year, 1.3 million, is greater than the number whose parents divorce each year, 1 million. It is no longer the social norm for premarital couples to feel like they have to get married because of an unplanned pregnancy.

Over the last half-century, marriage has become less common and less stable, while the proportion of children raised outside of intact marriages has increased dramatically. As a result, millions of children experience significant family transitions, including parental separation, divorce, remarriage, and the formation of blended families. These transitions often require children to adapt to new family dynamics and relationships during critical stages of development.

The effects of divorce on children have been the focus of extensive research. Judith Wallerstein, a leading researcher on the impact of divorce on children, noted that children from divorced and remarried families may be at greater risk for depression, academic challenges, and difficulties in peer relationships when compared to children from intact families. However, it is important to recognize that the effects of divorce vary considerably among individuals. While some children experience significant emotional or behavioral challenges, others demonstrate resilience and adapt successfully to changes within their family structure.

Given the prevalence of divorce and remarriage in contemporary society, understanding the impact of these transitions on children has become increasingly important. Children often face significant emotional, social, and developmental challenges as they adjust to changes in family structure, relationships, and routines. During these periods of transition, they rely on stability, guidance, emotional support, and meaningful connections with the adults in their lives. Research consistently demonstrates that when children's emotional and developmental needs are prioritized, they are better equipped to build resilience, adapt to change, and maintain positive outcomes both academically and socially. As family dynamics continue to evolve, recognizing and addressing the unique experiences of children affected by divorce is essential to fostering their long-term well-being, healthy development, and future success.