Well, September burst onto the scene rather hot and sunny this year and, for some, it kept that ‘holiday happiness’ going for just a little longer, but for others, the end to the summer break just couldn’t come quickly enough!
With children back at school for a couple of weeks now, and families back into the routine of things, Family Matters’ mediators are busier than ever, bearing testament to recent research suggesting that the holiday season is a difficult time for relationships that are already on the rocks.
September seasonal spike in divorce
Research carried out by the University of Washington suggests that divorce is seasonal and spikes twice a year, backing evidence of the same in the UK. The rush for divorce advice after the Christmas break is regularly reported , but the new research shows that the number of divorces filed in September has been rising for around 14 years.
Holidays – winter or summer – are supposed to be happy times for families, but with raised expectations, strain on finances, more time spent together than usual or even difficult informal sharing of child care for separated couples, ‘back to normal’ September is often a time when couples decide they’ve simply had enough. Not everyone wants to take the court route, however, and more and more couples are now realising that mediation can be a better choice for everyone concerned.
Mediation helps you stay in control
Juliette Dalrymple
Family Matters’ managing director, Juliette Dalrymple, says “Mediation can offer a less stressful route to separation. It can help avoid conflict, be quicker and cheaper than the court route and puts the separating couple in control of decisions made about their future (and that of their children) and their finances – rather than the courts. Mediation can also help sort out arrangements for children, taking their own thoughts and feelings into consideration. We have specially trained child consultants here at Family Matters who will listen to children in a neutral environment in a way that ensures they feel ‘heard’ but don’t feel responsible for making decisions. All of our family mediators and child consultants are specially trained and have extensive experience.”
So if you’re summer has left you feeling it’s time to move forward and you need professional and practical help and advice that can let you get on with your life without the drama of a court case, contact us now to arrange an independent meeting with one of our highly regarded mediators. It’s worth remembering that legal aid is still available for mediation in some cases and we are happy to discuss that with you.
Since writing this article earlier in September, two famous couples, Anglelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and Zoe Ball and Norman Cook, seem to be following this seasonal trend and have announced their separation.
Read an interesting article in The Guardian about how divorce spikes after holidays and how couples are finding more amicable ways to divorce.
