Single parent - 6 questions, 6 answers

In which regions of Switzerland do the fewest divorces take place and at what age are divorces most critical for children? Martina Bortolani answers 6 important questions about divorce.

1. what is the divorce curve?
Today, around one in two marriages ends in divorce. Overall, however, the divorce rate has fallen slightly over the past five years. In 2010, 22,081 couples divorced in Switzerland, in 2014 it was «only» 16,737.

2 Where are the fewest divorces?
In Catholic regions. In the cantons of Uri, Nidwalden, Appenzell Innerrhoden and Graubünden, there were fewer than 1.5 divorces per 1000 inhabitants in 2013.

3. are children of divorced parents more likely to get divorced?
Yes. Studies show that the risk of divorce is passed on to the next generation. If the parents are divorced, the probability that the children's marriage will also fail is significantly higher.

4. which age of child is psychologically the most critical for a divorce?
A separation can have long-term consequences at any age. The US psychologist Judith Wallerstein has followed 60 married couples with a total of 131 children since their divorce in 1970, interviewed them continuously and established that Divorced children in their teens, who are about to embark on their first sexual orientation and search for a partner, perceive the breakdown of the family structure as more dramatic and more stressful than young children.

5 How do single parents manage to have a career at work?
In Switzerland, around 60 per cent of all single mothers and fathers work part-time. They often put their self-realisation and dreams on the back burner as they have to earn money first and foremost. Women in particular often choose a job based on the criteria of «flexible working hours» or «adequate childcare options». People rarely make a career in these jobs.

6. how do patchwork constellations work best?
It is a myth that patchwork models work smoothly. Patchwork does not mean that you «patch something up», but rather that you «create» something new. Parents often forget how the children feel in such a situation. They are in love, want to start a new life with their new partner and therefore often cannot understand why a child might think differently.

Read more about single-parent families:

  • Erzählungen von Alleinerziehenden: So bewältigen wir den Alltag
  • Alleinerziehende - wir schaffen das - der grosse Dossier-Text zum Thema