It doesn't matter whether the child was planned or comes as a surprise: anyone who has a child while studying is suddenly faced with problems. Who stays at home or is it possible to arrange studies so that both parents can take turns attending lectures? And what happens if the child is raised alone and there is no partner available to care for it? Another question, of course, concerns financing: children are expensive - and everything around them is even more so. This article takes a look at the points and explains what is possible.
Figure 1: Children are something wonderful in the lives of parents. However, if the parents are still students, challenges arise.
Childcare
Expectant parents only need to read newspapers or magazines or follow the news: child care is constantly in the headlines because there is a real need to catch up. It is extremely difficult to find good care, especially for small children under the typical kindergarten age. But there is another problem for students: very few students have the financial means to pay for day care or private crèche places out of their own pockets. Still, there have to be options, right? An overview:
Family - if the child's grandparents can take care of the child at least on an hourly basis, parents will of course be helped a lot. Of course, this option doesn't always work. Firstly, the parents have to live nearby. However, since many students (have to) move to another city to study, this option is often no longer possible. In particular, many grandparents have to work themselves and therefore cannot look after their grandchildren during the day.
Friends - this option can also be suitable. Are there any friends who already have a child of their own and have one of their parents at home? Or are there friends who are also studying but have a different plan? Perhaps it is possible to make do in this way.
Daycare centers/crèches - theoretically speaking, it is possible to send the child to a daycare center or crèche at an early stage. In practice, however, this path is difficult - and, although people don't like to say it, impossible. The waiting lists are often very long, many daycare centers do not accept children under 18 months old, or there are daycare centers that charge horrendous prices for students.
University - on the other hand, more and more universities are offering their own daycare centers and childcare for the students enrolled there. This option is certainly the best solution for most students, as the child is practically on site and care can be used in a very targeted manner - exactly when it is needed.
Childminders - this option is also available, but it costs money, which students usually don't have.
The most important thing is to arrange care long before the birth. A mix of several offers is often suitable. If you want to put your child in daycare early, you should ask about the place in the first few weeks of pregnancy and get yourself on the list.
financing
Another problem for expectant parents is of course financing . When you're studying, money is often scarce anyway and a baby can drastically mess up your finances. However, student parents are of course not alone:
Parental allowance - according to Parentgeld.de, students are also entitled to parental allowance . In the basic version this is 14 months, in the plus version it is 28 months. Parental allowance is always at least 300.00 euros, otherwise 65 - 67 percent of income.
BAFÖG - if you already receive BAFÖG, you must inform the office that you are expecting a child. There are additional amounts and relief for children that are clearly noticeable. Students who have previously managed without BAFÄG but can no longer ensure their own financing through having a child now have the option of applying for BAFÖG.
Child benefit - child benefit is of course paid for the baby.
Social benefits - if there is not enough money, students can always apply for social benefits . However, parental allowance is now counted as income. As an alternative to the typical ALG 2 benefits, there are options for receiving a childcare subsidy. This can be useful if childcare has to be provided privately via childminders or a daycare center and represents an enormous burden for the parents.
Incidentally, most universities offer their own advisory services specifically for students who will soon become parents, which also cover the financial side. It doesn't hurt to get help right here.
What else is there to consider?
Ideally, students already have the perfect apartment to raise a child. But what does this look like in practice? Many students live in dormitories or shared apartments and therefore do not have the ideal place to stay during parental leave. When you become pregnant, it may become necessary to look for new accommodation. Depending on the city, this is not easy, so expectant parents should use the following options:
University - if the university has childcare, it usually also works with associations that help you find living space.
Youth welfare office - that is also an option. Parents do not need to fear that they will immediately lose their child, because youth welfare offices also help to find a suitable apartment. You know the problem with dormitories or shared apartments - by the way, youth welfare offices often have their own shared apartments in which young studying families live together and support each other. This can be a blessing, especially for single parents.
Basically, it is important to deal with all the points that will change with the birth as early as possible.
Figure 2: Support, time and finances - just some of the important aspects.
Conclusion - many obligations, but also offers of help
Young students who are expecting new children have a lot to consider and many responsibilities to fulfill. After all, your young life will soon change. On the other hand, however, there are many offers of help and options that allow you to continue your studies with almost no losses despite having young children. Ideally, the university will even help and offer its own childcare options for small children.
Image sources:
Figure 1: @EME (CC0 license) / pixabay.com
Figure 2: @FeeLoona (CC0 license) / pixabay.com
Anyone who has children while studying suddenly faces problems. Who stays at home or is it possible to arrange studies so that both parents can take turns attending lectures?
