A Little Rest & Stability — A Mother Raising Alone

Hi, I’m Christy, a single mother to a bright, sensitive five-year-old.

After a long and emotionally demanding year, I’m reaching out with something vulnerable: a small personal wish. I’d love to take my daughter on a short summer holiday, just one week somewhere warm and simple, to rest, reconnect, and breathe.

This break would give me something I rarely have: a moment to be fully present with her, without stress, pressure, or constant planning. Just to pause, catch my breath, and share some lightness together.

We don’t need luxury. Just a few quiet days away from our routine. A space to move slower, laugh more, and feel the sun on our skin.

In July, there’s no school or daycare, and as a part-time worker earning CHF 20/hour, I won’t have income that month. I’ve been actively looking for a better-paid job, but with limited flexibility as a single mother, I’ve already been turned down several times.

CHF 20 per hour might sound like a lot depending on where you live, but in Switzerland, one of the most expensive countries in the world, it barely stretches far. Most of what I earn goes directly toward rent, groceries, insurance, and basic needs. Saving is rarely possible, especially while raising a child alone.

While I do receive CHF 2,900 in child support, and I’m truly grateful for it, nearly all of that also goes toward essentials. The official agreement says her father would take her every second Saturday and Sunday overnight, but in reality, he only takes her every second Saturday, without the overnight or Sunday. That leaves most weekends, and all the emotional and practical care, to me.

I’m not sharing this to complain. I just want to offer an honest picture of what I’ve been carrying quietly for years.

With no shared parenting, and no family who supports me in a way that meets my needs rather than their own, it’s hard to explain how much this time away would mean.

Just a few days without worrying what to cook, plan, or manage, to pause the mental load, would be such a gift.

Over the last few years, I’ve grown. I’m in a better place than I was — emotionally and financially. I don’t live in constant panic anymore. But I still live close to the edge. I try to say yes to life — to small adventures, to people I care about — but those moments often cost more than I can afford, and right now, I find myself needing a little support to stay steady.

My goal is CHF 1,500 — not just to cover a modest one-week holiday, but also to stay afloat during August, when I won’t receive income from July. This includes travel, a simple place to stay, food, and a small cushion so I can return home not just rested, but stable.

I know others are going through far more. I carry that awareness deeply — this request doesn’t come from entitlement, but from openness and hope.

To those who’ve supported me before, including through my first GoFundMe back in 2021, thank you. I wouldn’t be where I am now without your help, and I never take it for granted.

If you’re in a position to support, even just a little, it would mean the world. And if not, that’s completely okay. Just reading this already means a lot.

If GoFundMe isn’t convenient, Twint is also possible — feel free to message me for details.

With love,

Christy