After Winter Break Ends, One in Five Parents Will Contemplate Divorce

January in NJ and elsewhere has long been known as “Divorce Month” due to the spike in divorce filings the first month of the year typically sees. Why does this happen? For couples with children, it seems that relationship struggles are very much on their minds as the holidays wind down and the New Year begins. A recent survey conducted in the UK (which sees the same rise in divorces in January) breaks it down by the numbers. Does this surprise you?

– Almost one in five parents (18 percent) admitted considering divorce, splitting up, separation or other measures in the days following their children’s return to school after school vacation ends.

– Nearly one-fifth (14 percent) of parents said the best time to start divorce proceedings is just after vacation.

– Parents who aren’t married are twice as likely to feel the strain in their relationship (10 percent) than the ones who have tied the knot (5 percent).

– Almost half (46 percent) reported feeling increased financial pressures during the winter holidays, with women (49 percent) feeling the pinch more than men (43 percent). Financial conflict is often pointed to as a leading cause of divorce.