When many people look at divorce rates, they will look at annual rates. They will simply consider the number of divorce cases from that year and see how this has changed over the years or the decades.
But there is another way to look at these divorce rates, which is to consider how they go up and down during the year. Some who look at these statistics note that divorce is seasonal. It often tends to spike in the late summer months, when the children go back to school. There is also typically a spike in January, as the new year begins.
Why does the end of summer lead to divorce?
Exactly why this happens depends on the individual case. In some instances, couples have found the summer months taxing. They may have had more time apart during the school year, but the summer brings on family vacations and obligations to watch the kids while they are at home. This leads to conflict between the parents, sparking a divorce.
But in many cases, late summer or early fall just feels like the opportune time to file for divorce. The children are back at school, so parents have more time to themselves to discuss the specifics. The onset of divorce proceedings does not feel as chaotic, and the children have more stability in their schedule as they attend school every day.
Additionally, the late fall and winter bring on holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and then New Year’s. Many couples who are already thinking about divorce do not want to file during the holiday season. So they decide that they are either going to start the process in the late summer, before the holidays, or they are going to wait until January, when the holiday season has concluded.
Navigating a divorce case
Do you believe that you and your spouse are getting closer to filing for a divorce? If so, it is important to understand your rights when dividing marital property, addressing child custody issues and much more.