The model of the family with two children is still relevant today. A good half of young adults aspire to this, but the reality of older people does not correspond to this dream. And mothers always take care of children more than fathers.
This is what the latest family survey for 2023, carried out by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), reveals. According to these figures, 53% of people aged 20 to 29 want to have two children, 25% plan to have at least three, 5% only one and almost one in five young people do not think they will have children ( 17%).
The reality is different if we compare these results with those of older groups. Among people aged 50 to 59, 38% have two children, 19% more than three children and 17% only one child. One in four people (25%) remains childless, the OFS said on Wednesday.
In many families, both parents are currently working and must reconcile family and work. For people living in a household with children under 25, the most common difficulty is the lack of time to rest.
Mothers and grandparents requested
In most households (63%), it is mainly mothers who stay at home when children are sick. They are also the ones who dress the children or help them (51%). The majority of other tasks are carried out by both parents, such as playing with the children (73%) or putting them to bed (68%).
Three quarters of grandparents with one or more grandchildren under 13 look after them regularly or occasionally: 42% look after one of their grandchildren at least once a week, 21% at least once a month and 12% less than once a month or during vacations. Only a quarter of grandparents never look after their grandchildren.
Nurseries and after-school care in town
Across Switzerland, almost half (44%) of all households with children under 13 use a crèche or after-school care structure. This type of care is particularly popular in the six major cities of Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Winterthur and Zurich. Seven out of ten families use it.
This proportion is significantly lower in other urban areas (43%) and is not even half as high in rural areas (33%). On the other hand, care by grandparents (47% of households) and by family day care centers (12%) is particularly more widespread in rural regions. In town, these percentages are respectively 26 and 6%.
This article was automatically published. Source: ats
