Divorce can happen at any age, but one trend that researchers have noticed is that it sometimes happens to those who become empty nesters. This means their children have grown up and moved out of the house.
There are many reasons why becoming empty nesters could be the catalyst that leads to divorce. One reason is that it signifies a new stage in life. Adults who no longer have to focus on parenting often find themselves reassessing what they want out of life or what plans they have for the future. Spouses may find that those plans are much different or that it is time to move on from their marriage.
Parenting is a distraction
Another potential reason to consider is that parenting itself can often distract people from significant issues in their marital relationship. They put so much energy into parenting that they do not notice they are drifting apart, or they do not recognize how serious their conflicts and disagreements are. But when the children move out of the house, they may suddenly realize that they are unhappy with the relationship.
Parents wait to become empty nesters
Finally, there are many cases when parents intentionally wait for this stage in life to file for divorce. Someone may realize that they want to get divorced when their child is a young teenager, for example, but they put the process off until the child graduates from high school. They are deliberately waiting to become empty nesters to move on from the marriage.
While empty nesters do not have to consider child custody rights, divorce can still be complicated when it comes to property division. Be sure you know exactly what legal options you have at this time.