It’s said that everything has its season or time – and that’s also true of divorce. A University of Washington study confirmed something that family law offices already knew to be true: August is a big month for new divorce filings.
Why does the end of summer coincide with the end of so many marriages? It turns out that there isn’t one specific reason – but a whole lot of them, including:
1. Older kids are finally out of the nest
Some parents quietly resolve – either separately or together, in a pact – to end their marriage once their last child is out of the home. When the final teen starts college in the fall, they view that as a good time to break up the marriage.
2. Younger kids are back in school
When school-age children are still at home, a lot of parents aren’t comfortable having the kind of conversations that become necessary when a marriage is ending in their earshot. Once the kids are in school most of the day, it can also seem easier to handle the time-consuming mechanics of divorce, as well.
3. Summer vacation wasn’t a cure-all
Some couples try hard to reforge their relationships over summer vacation only to realize that the more time they spend alone together, the more miserable they are.
4. They met someone new
Work conferences, self-help retreats, fandom conventions, festivals and neighborhood barbecues all tend to pick up over the summer – and people are feeling social. That provides a lot of opportunity for someone in an unhappy marriage to meet someone new. Infidelity, whether it’s emotional or physical, can quickly prompt a divorce.
5. It’s not the holidays
Nobody wants to announce their divorce around a holiday, and adjusting to sudden “singledom” during the winter holiday months can be brutal. For some people, the choice to end their marriage “after summer vacation” but “before the holidays start” is simply strategic.
If you suspect (or know) that your marriage may soon end, it may be wise to learn more about how the process works and what rules might apply to your specific situation.
