The new school season is about to start in a few short weeks — with it comes the fall divorce season.
Is it time for you to file?
Sociologists and family law attorneys both notice an uptick in the number of divorces being filed shortly past the winter holiday season and again right around the time that school starts back up. The prevailing theory is that, at least in families with kids, the start of school puts a little additional pressure on couples in crisis — often pushing one of them to finally make the move to file for divorce.
It’s likely that there’s a combination of factors at play — both the winter holiday season and the summer holiday season are seen as sacrosanct to a lot of families, particularly those with young children. Parents don’t want their kids to associate the winter holidays with their parents’ divorce — and they also often want to give their kids one last summer without the heartache of being part of a separated family.
Plus, there’s often a faint hope that couples hold out over both those seasons that their marital troubles will somehow evaporate amidst the goodwill and cheer of the winter festivities or the summertime vacation.
Often, the crushing reality is that both holidays end up falling short of everyone’s hopes and expectations, which finally prompts one or both partners to make their move.
Here are some questions you should ask yourself if you’re considering that step yourself:
- Have you clearly communicated your needs to your spouse? If you have and those needs are still not being met, that’s a sign that your spouse either can’t or won’t try to meet them.
- Are you staying married out of a sense of guilt, shame or obligation? If so, that likely isn’t going to be a solid basis for a lasting relationship.
An attorney can provide more information or advice on divorce.
Source: Medical News Today, “Divorce is seasonal, peaks following family vacations,” Hannah Nicholls, accessed July 28, 2017