Like many things in life, people tend to divorce at certain times of the year. My professional experience corresponds with a recent study out of University of Washington. The study looked at the time of year that divorces are most often filed. Research over 14 years shows that divorce files peak in March and August.
As our children head back to school this time of year, it is often a time that parents consider divorce as an option. It is much less common to initiate a divorce in the summer or over the holidays. Those are the times that families choose to remain peaceful and accepting of challenges. But come spring or fall, when we get back into our daily routines of life, it is often a time to initiate a change of life, such as divorce.
It is interesting that people avoid the conflict of divorce for the sake of the children over the holidays or summer, I assume, because they want to minimize conflict. They want to enjoy the holidays or relax in the summer, yet marital conflict often inhibits that joy. If couples could choose to divorce collaboratively, in a respectful and non-adversarial way, they may realize that it doesn’t matter what time of year it occurs, divorce can be done well.
Many clients feel relief and peace once divorce or separation occurs. A collaborative divorce can help maintain that peace throughout the process. Building better outcomes and preserving what is very best about the family can make the time of year not matter.
