At Law Office of Kathryn Marteeny, we often have clients ask us if they
should wait till the holidays are over to file for divorce. The holidays
can be a special time for many, but they can also be a time of extreme
stress, especially if your marriage has broken down. Below are some reasons
people choose to wait, or not wait when
filling for divorce.
Why People Choose to Wait Until After the Holidays
1. They don’t want to ruin the holidays for their kids: This is the most common reason people choose to wait until after the holidays
to file for their divorce. Consider the following, will you and your spouse
be able to keep up appearances during the holidays or will there be obvious
tension between the two of you? Children are smarter than you think. You
don’t need an all out yelling match for your kids to sense something
isn’t right. Maybe filling for divorce won’t be the reason
the holidays are ruined for your children but if you are unable to get
along, your attitudes toward each other could spoil the holiday season.
2. They’re not ready to split custody of the kids: Does your family have a traditional gathering every holiday? Would split
custody would disrupt that plan? Before you decide to wait on filing, consider
if this reason is in the best interests of your children or yourself.
3. You have a family vacation planned: Six months ago, you booked a trip to stay in the mountains or to visit
a relative who lives far away. Whatever the family trip was, your children
are very excited about it and filing for divorce could put a damper on
those plans.
Reasons to Not Wait Until After the Holidays
1. You can’t stand your in-laws: Do you get into a verbal sparring match every time your visit your mother-in-law?
Maybe you’ve had enough of your cousin-in-law’s sexist jokes
to last a lifetime. Sure, every family has their problems, and when you’re
on the verge of divorce, you might factor seeing your in-laws again as
a reason to file as soon as possible.
2. You don’t want to spend the holiday with your spouse: Depending on the grounds for the divorce, you might not want to spend
another minute with your current spouse. Whether it’s bringing him
or her to another work holiday party where they’ll drink too much,
or simply the opposite, they won’t drink at all and are extremely
antisocial.
3. You’re in an abusive marriage: If you’re a victim of
domestic abuse and you are ready to file for divorce, don’t let the time of year
stop you! Your spouse may try and manipulate you into staying because
it’s the holiday season, but if you’re ready to leave you
should leave. If you feel unsafe breaking the news to your spouse, you
can contact the police, and they can be witness to you breaking the news
as well as
help you file a protective order.
At Law Office of Kathryn Marteeny, we understand how difficult it can be
to decide whether you want to file for divorce during the holidays. As
experienced Houston divorce attorneys, we can help you through the process
every step of the way.
Give us a
call to schedule your consultation today.