The sun has got his hat on

What have longer daylight hours and more sunshine got to do with family law?

There are two scenarios which immediately come to mind: opportunities for parents to spend time with children outdoors and improved prospects of selling property.

In situations where the trust between parents has broken down, the time a child spends with one parent may be limited. This could be for various reasons; commonly it is because the parent with whom the child lives alleges the other has threatened to take the child. In these situations the parents’ relationship is extremely fragile and trust has to be rebuilt slowly and carefully.

Time with the child may be limited to a couple of hours or half a day. In winter months it can be difficult to find things to do to entertain and spend quality time with a child. There are many actvities on offer: playcentres, bowling, meals out and, of course, Meadowhall. This can be an expensive time, especially for parents of limited means. Also, the other parent may feel that the child expects money to be spent on them during these visits. This may not help the situation if that parent cannot afford to provide the same treats.

Time outdoors, whether at a local park, a bike ride or even a walk in the countryside is cheap, if not free. A picnic will add to the feeling of adventure. Away from the hustle and bustle, the parent and child can concentrate on each other and have a very enjoyable time.

It is well known that many housebuyers start the search for a new property in Spring.

The economic downturn over the last few years has meant some properties have fallen into negative equity. The knock on effect has been that couples wanting to separate have had to stay living under the same roof which can be very difficult. The same applies to property which has some equity but has been slow to sell, if neither can afford to rent elsewhere.

The improvements in the property market generally together with the Spring weather means properties are more likely to sell which will enable unhappy couples to separate and move on with their lives.

Changes to the weather and seasons even affect family law and in ways which are not immediately obvious.