Think that divorce is random and can strike at any time? While it certainly can happen at any point during the year, some studies have suggested it’s perhaps not as random as it seems. One even found that it was seasonal.
The study was done in the state of Washington, and it used data from 14 years. What it found was that there were consistent, rather predictable spikes in divorce filings year in and year out. The first spike happened in March, while the second came in August.
Of course, divorces were recorded in every month of the year, but the 14-year trend was eye-opening, suggesting people would be statistically more likely to split up in the spring or at the end of summer.
Why this happens is less clear. One theory is that people hope they can use the fun and excitement of the holidays to fix a relationship that isn’t going well.
A couple who gets through August, for example, may focus on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day, trying to grow closer. If it fails, though, the couple may head out to get divorced two weeks after Valentine’s Day.
For couples who make it into the summer, the break from school — for those with kids — could be looked at as a chance for family vacations and a time to mend fences. When the kids go back to school in August, though, couples may discover that the vacations didn’t really help long-term, and then they could file.
No matter when you’re thinking of getting divorced in Colorado, it’s important to know all of your legal rights and responsibilities. This is especially true if you have kids and need to consider things like child support and a parenting plan.
Source: Live Science, “It’s Splitsville: Divorce May Be Seasonal, Study Finds,” Agata Blaszczak-Boxe, Aug. 23, 2016
