Lawyers are saying that the summer season may actually rival Christmas and New Years as the most popular time for divorce. In fact, many firms are predicting that more relationships than ever will hit the rocks this summer.

“Most families look forward to the summer holidays hoping to enjoy quality time together,” said family lawyer Claire O’Donnell. “But in reality when couples spend more time in each other’s company this can put them under pressure and can drive them to the brink of divorce. It’s a test of even the strongest relationships.”

Ms. O’Donnell went on to say that last September, after the kids were back in school, her firm saw a major upswing in divorce cases. She attributes this phenomenon to the stress of juggling work and childcare during the summer break in addition to the added hours spent together.

Childcare can put significant strain on a marriage. With this in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that women file for the majority of divorces. With kids out of school and pursuing the attention of busy parents who may not have a summer break in their work schedules, tensions can certainly rise.

According to MSN Now, nearly 20% of parents admit that the summer break causes problems in their marriage. A recent study revealed that 18% of parents have reassessed their relationship by the end of the summer.

Like Ms. O’Donnell, Gaetano Ferro, the president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, as seen the same predictable spike in divorces. “Every year it’s like clockwork,” he said. “You know the phone is going to start ringing like crazy that time of year.”

Of course, the winter holiday season has reigned supreme in the volume of divorce cases for so long.

“The Christmas and New Year holidays are notorious for leading to an increase in divorce as relationships crumble following the pressures of the festive season and couples re-evaluating their futures at the beginning of the new year,” O’Donnell stated. “Though not as pronounced, the summer holiday season can have a similar effect on couples.”