A family of five was enjoying the extremely good economy in February through the beginning of March. Both parents had recently received promotions and the couple had finally saved a downpayment and purchased their first home. They heard about the coronavirus, but they were not extremely worried until the last two weeks. As Illinois residents received orders to stay home, both husband and wife received orders from their employers to work from home full-time.
The parents also learned that their children’s schools would shut down for the foreseeable future. With three kids under the age of 8 at home, it is nearly impossible for the parents to meet their work deadlines while also taking care of their children during the day. One of their children has special needs and needs nearly constant one-on-one attention. The spouses, who thought they had a relatively solid marriage, begin to argue more than ever about dividing their work duties and childcare duties.
Sheltering in Place for Coronavirus Can Cause Extreme Marital Tension
In addition to meeting deadlines, the parents are also required to keep up with all of their children’s schoolwork online. Two of their children are expected to go through six or more hours of educational material a night. The parents begin missing deadlines at work because they do not have enough hours in the day to attend to their children’s homework, the needs of their child with a disability, and keep up with work.
The more the couple argues, the more serious the arguments become. At first the arguments are focused on the stress of not being able to meet work deadlines. Then, the arguments start to go deeper and expose serious cracks in the marriage that have existed for a long time. In a matter of a month’s time, both spouses are considering whether they should even remain married, or if they should consider filing for divorce.
Divorce Applications Have Spiked Dramatically in China During the Pandemic
China has been dealing with the coronavirus longer than the United States. Yet, the cases of coronavirus in the United States continue to grow as they did in China. According to The Global Times, large numbers of married couples have filed for divorce in China after they were required to spend weeks at home in self-isolation.
One Chinese city has seen a record-high number of divorce requests since the registries opened again on March 1. The number of divorce requests is so high, it will take a significant time to process the backlog.
If You are Considering Divorce in Illinois, You are Not Alone
The lack of routine, the financial stresses, and the increased depression and anxiety put an extreme amount of pressure on a marriage. When two people are around each other day and night, marital problems become even more obvious. If you are considering divorce in Illinois, Glasgow & Olsson can help. Contact our Illinois family law firm as soon as possible to schedule your initial consultation.