Children are a significant influencing factor for the stability of marriages. However, not every child necessarily increases marital stability: depending on the type of relationship children have with their parents, one can expect either a decrease or an increase in marital stability. This aspect is often overlooked in divorce research. Based on theories from family sociology and data from family surveys, Andrea Breitenbach examines the influences of different characteristics of children and various types of relationships on marital stability. She illustrates how relevant theories justify the impact of children on marital stability. The results confirm that, depending on the type of relationship and other aspects, opposing trends in divorce risk can be observed.