RTL documentary: Reporter Ralf Herrmann replaces single mother of seven children

RTL documentary
“Pure Stress”: RTL reporter replaces single mother of seven children

For a week, RTL reporter Ralf Herrmann took on the role of a working single parent. He has to take care of his job, household and seven children. A task that pushes him to his limits.

At 6 a.m. at Corina Schifferdecker’s everything is already running like on an assembly line: waking up the children, making sandwiches, having breakfast, brushing your teeth, braiding your hair, leaving for school. The 42-year-old from near Heilbronn not only takes care of one or two children, Schifferdecker is a mother of seven – and a single parent. For more than three years she has been raising her four daughters and three sons between the ages of eight and 20 without a partner. The two oldest girls are doing an apprenticeship but still live at home. The eldest son now lives in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, where he started an apprenticeship. Four of Schifferdecker’s children are still in school.

In addition to the household and children, Corina Schifferdecker also has a “real” job: she works full-time as a teacher at a school for the mentally and physically handicapped Children. And she is renovating the house where the family lives.

RTL documentary shows everyday life of single parents

RTL reporter Ralf Herrmann wants to take on all these tasks for a week. For the documentary “Ralf, the single parent – I’m going to be a mother!” (Thursday, July 6, 2023, 8:15 p.m. on RTL) he moves in with the Schifferdeckers – and Mama Corina out. She is to relax in the hotel for seven days. Herrmann, who has no children himself, expresses “great respect” for this challenge.

Herrmann was already seen in a similar RTL documentary last year. He worked as a midwife and accompanied a pregnant woman until she gave birth. Now he is dedicating himself to the topic of single parents. In Germany, every fifth family is a single parent. 83 percent of single parents are women.

In order to prepare for his role as a surrogate mother for the Schifferdecker family, Herrmann attended the state agricultural school in Pfaffenhofen. There he learned how to cook roulades, sew pants with holes, do laundry and shine shoes. At least in theory. The reporter quickly realizes that this can hardly be implemented in everyday life with seven children. Herrmann bursts into tears on the second day.

“With seven children you are immediately on the assi track”

In exchange with other single parents, he learns about common problems: financial difficulties, unpaid maintenance, difficulties in finding a partner or the worry of being labeled as a bad mother. When a father takes care of his children alone, that is often perceived positively and as “something very special”, Ralf Herrmann reports other mothers. “When women live up to their role as mothers, that’s normal,” says one of those affected.

There are often prejudices against single parents. Mother of seven, Corina Schifferdecker, says what many people think: “With seven children, you’re immediately on the assistant track. They only live on Hartz IV or child benefit. But that’s not the case with us at all.”

Using the example of Corina Schifferdecker and her family, the documentary gives an insight into what single parents do every day. Reporter Ralf Herrmann repeatedly reaches his personal limits, is exhausted and overwhelmed. After seven days he draws the conclusion: “It was pure stress for me.”

The documentary “Ralf, the single parent – I’m going to be a mother!” runs on Thursday, July 6, 2023 at 8:15 p.m. on RTL

Editor’s note: The star is part of RTL Germany.​​​​​​