* 22% year-on-year increase in new sign-ups on extramarital dating site IllicitEncounters.com as children return to school
* Parents of primary school kids are most likely to be starting an affair (62%) of which 40% are first-timers
* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading married dating site
With the great British summer winding down, parents all over the UK are experiencing a wave of mixed emotions as schools reopen after the long break. For some, it’s a time of anxiety and uncertainty as their little ones timidly walk through the school gates for the first time. For others, it’s a moment of celebration, a happy return to peace and quiet, and a chance to regain a bit of sanity lost during the summer holiday.
But with that sudden silence that falls upon homes after months of summer chaos, comes an unexpected shift in the mindset of parents.
According to data released by IllicitEncounters.com, September doesn’t only signal new beginnings for the kids, mums and dads across the country are taking part in their own extracurricular activities too.
Registrations for the married dating site have seen a sharp increase in the first 10 days of September, with a 22% year-on-year rise in sign-ups.
Women in particular are flocking to the site, accounting for a hefty 71% of new registrations.
IllicitEncounters.com surveyed 500 recently active users and found that parents of primary school children are the worst offenders, as they’re declared the most likely to be starting an affair (62%), with 40% of them saying it’s their first time entering the world of cheating.
Lizzie from Oxford, a mum who recently joined the married dating site said, “Suddenly I’ve got all this free time on my hands during the day. The loneliness during school hours has already started kicking in, and to be honest, it’s revealed a world of opportunities and temptations I hadn’t considered before.
My marriage went stale years ago, and at this point we’re staying together for the benefit of my child, but only now have I started realising that I can’t keep plodding along aimlessly. I want to live, I want to be appreciated, and I want to spend those few free hours during the day getting to know men who understand where I’m coming from.”
Alice from Southampton who also uses the website said, “The routine of school life seems to cast a massive shadow on my marriage every September, making me question the choices I’d made and the desires I keep hidden from my other half.
Every year, the thrill of breaking the routine just becomes too tempting to resist. Don’t get me wrong, I had an amazing summer break in Spain playing happy families with my husband, but now he’s gone back to work and I’m back to sorting out the kids’ packed lunches – it’s just so dull.
Some people might think I’m selfish but I need this for my own sanity – I love my kids like crazy, and I’m sure they’d rather see me looking chipper after a secret rendezvous than seeing me depressed lying on the sofa.”
When asked to comment on the data, sex and relationship expert Jessica Leoni responded, “This is a really interesting trend we often see in September. The return to routine can bring feelings of restlessness and the desire for new experiences. Women, in particular stay-at-home mums, find themselves with more available time as their children go back to school, which can lead to increased curiosity and opportunities for discreet exploration.
Summer holidays are also a massive driving force when it comes to turning to infidelity. Spending extended periods of time with family can sometimes lead to heightened tensions and increased stress within relationships that were perhaps already looking a little shaky.
Many of our members are looking to find sparks that have been missing over the summer, and with the kids returning to school, parents are breathing a sigh of relief as they regain some freedom and much-deserved ‘me’ time.”
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