Summertime stress can strain a marriage

 Posted on May 25, 2021 in Divorce

70 percent of parents experience stress related to summertime planning, according to a poll of 2,000 parents. Over half the parents polled said they were ready for their kids to go back to school after only one week.

Why are parents so stressed out over summer planning and what can they do about it?

Causes of summertime stress

In many households, both parents work which makes figuring out what to do with the kids when they are home all the time over summer break a major source of stress. Parents identified several key causes:

• Keeping kids busy while the parents are working
• Juggling multiple schedules
• Not having enough money
• Struggling to come up with ideas
• Lack of a convenient place to purchase things to do with their kids

Solutions

One-quarter of parents polled said summertime stress leads to less sex with their partner over the summer. With sex and money being two of the biggest drivers of marital difficulties, it's no wonder that summertime stress can put a strain on a marriage. Keeping the kids busy and making time for parents to reconnect can ease the strain. The parents surveyed employed a variety of tactics:

• Create a family bucket list
• Go on a road trip
• Go camping
• Teach kids to cook or ride a bike
• Visit an amusement park

The key to easing summer stress is to have a plan. With a solid plan in place, parents can focus on bonding with their kids over the summer and prevent stress that can lead to or worsen problems in the marriage.