Child care during the holidays: Nowhere a hoard

Anyone who has a job and a schoolchild knows the problem: is the child free for twelve to 13 weeks a year? The holiday entitlement of the parents amounts to a maximum of six weeks. Stay six weeks and a few conference or bridge days when the school goes down, but mom and dad have to go to work. 22 percent of all elementary schools offer programs throughout the year. A good half makes at least temporary offers for the little ones. But 27 percent, so almost every third elementary school, closes during the holidays just completely. And the parents have to see how they deal with the child two weeks in the spring, six weeks in the summer, two weeks in autumn and winter plus a few days around Pentecost. Not just during elementary school. Because until you leave your child at home with a clear conscience all day long, it must be a bit older.

Sure, if the parents do not live together, dad can cover six weeks and mom the rest. The annual leave is definitely well planned. But cynicism by side: Why is no one upset that the families are completely left alone with this problem? 56 percent of parents say that work and school age are difficult to reconcile; Nearly a million mothers of young children would take a job if better care during the school holidays were guaranteed; 2.3 million mothers would be working full time? if they knew how to care for the children. The figures prove that this condition is a state of emergency - and a mothers career prevention policy.

In one year comes the legal right to a nursery place. Bravo, even if certainly not all parents' wishes can be met, there is a legally enforceable right. Since 1996 we have a claim to a place in kindergarten. From the second to the sixth year, the care works so finally. But then the misery begins.

Silke Baumgarten

Horse farm? Granny? Girlfriend: Do you take mine, do I take yours? Mühsam is the organization, every day off school must be planned exactly, woe if grandma is ill or the girlfriend is snuffy. And many already know the problem from the all-day school, which may call itself that because it employs the children until three o'clock on three days a week. My whole days look different.

Yes, we parents want to have time with our children. But we also need time to earn money. Hort or Hartz IV, that may not be an alternative in the educational country Germany.

The National for August 5, 2019 — U.S. Mass Shootings, Gun Control, Toronto Gun Violence (May 2024).