Member Article

Divorced parents argue as holiday shopping peaks

A survey by national law firm Simpson Millar has revealed that instead of beating the January blues by making plans for their summer holidays, almost half of divorced Britons (43%) will find themselves arguing with their ex partner about their children’s vacation arrangements.

19th January is labelled by tour operators as the busiest holiday shopping day of the year, but divorcees with children are likely to find themselves fighting with ex-partners about a range of issues, from the length of vacations (42%) to the suitability of destinations (39%). As a result, a stream of divorced parents is expected to head to family lawyers for legal advice.

Emma Pearmaine, Head of Family Law at Simpson Millar says: “More divorced parents get in touch with us in January about contact arrangements for children than any other month and it is often issues around who gets to take the children on holiday that create the biggest problems for mums and dads. With holidays often a matter of getting your booking done early to ensure you get a good deal, it’s vital that divorced and separated parents avoid personal arguments getting in the way of important family time.”

Simpson Millar surveyed 1000 divorced and separated parents and found that just under two thirds (64%) like to take their children on a holiday every year, while the remainder admit that they cannot afford a trip every year. Just under 20% of children were lucky enough to have two holidays (one with each parent) every year, while 29% of divorced and separated couples actually bury the hatchet and take a trip together. The most common agreement was for parents to take it in turns every year (36%).

“This shows the value of having an agreed plan between divorced and separated parents for important situations like holidays,” adds Emma. “By opening up discussions now, there is time for talk and mediation. Likewise, in situations where the mother or father fears the other party might change their mind or be unreasonable, and mediation is unsuccessful or not a suitable option, we are able to issue a court application and reach a decision that is binding.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Elina Miezite .