In a recent article in The Telegraph, a woman addressed her decision to take a 'marriage sabbatical' in a hope to save her relationship.
The decision to take time out of a family relationship is entirely individual and, as this article reflects, a choice which will not necessary guarantee reconciliation. Separating before, and without taking any more formal steps, may provide a suitable period of reflection and calm for you to collect your thoughts for the future, and may indeed be healthier for the children if the situation has become difficult in the home.
However, where the prospects of reconciliation are unknown, it is important to assess how a period of separation will operate in respect of immediate financial and practical arrangements as well as how it will impact upon future options. Taking a "sabbatical" from the relationship may, depending upon the arrangements and your intentions, count towards the period of separation for divorce grounds if reconciliation does not occur. Interim changes in relation to the living arrangements and related finances may prejudice your position in relation to a financial settlement and the arrangements for your children.
If you require any further advice on the matters raised in this article, please do not hesitate to contact our Family and Divorce team.
"Yet nothing had really changed – we were still the same people with the same insuperable differences between us."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/family/thought-sabbatical-had-saved-marriage-wrong/
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.