Many parents are still looking for grandmothers to borrow
Created: 11/22/2022, 8:20 am
By: Hans Kurzl
Verena Ratka (left) is enthusiastic about loan grandmother Rita Dasgupta.
Both have a good relationship.
© private
Verena Ratka can no longer imagine life without her.
"We have a loan grandmother," she says.
You can tell how happy the mother of two boys, eleven and six years old, is.
Germering – The sons feel the same way.
They romp through the garden with their borrowed grandmother, Rita Dasgupta, and play football and basketball.
They get help from her with their homework and will bake cookies with her in the approaching Advent season.
But the good feeling of Ratka is not limited to such activities.
"It's a good experience that my children can have." The thoughts, the knowledge and, to a certain extent, the calmness of the loan grandmother are all very valuable.
"It's a different generation, also for me," says the mother.
Nothing can replace the values and experiences of these people.
Even if grandparents are no longer alive or live further away and are therefore not always available, loan grandmas and grandpas are a good alternative.
Ratka would also have imagined it with a grandfather.
"Men may do it differently, but just as well."
Margarte Reifinger, coordinator of the loan grandparents project, agrees with this assessment.
The project runs within the local alliance for families.
(
By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular
FFB newsletter.)
At a presentation in the summer at the women's and mothers' center (Mrs. MütZe), Rita Dasgupta had already reported on her positive experiences.
She has arrived at the Ratkas as a loan grandmother.
"It keeps you fit, mentally and physically," Dasgupta said at the time.
It's exciting and interesting to join a new family, she said.
She sees it as an enrichment for her life.
Gaining this experience is anything but time-consuming.
Usually two hours a week, that's Dasgupta's workload.
However, this can be freely agreed between the parents and grandparents.
Of course, a lot depends on the extent to which the relationship fits.
Reifinger: "The children have an important say in that." Trust and confidence are the basis for functioning.
Verena Ratka, Rita Dasgupta and Margarete Reifinger would like to encourage people to get in touch.
Because the need remains great, as Reifinger explains when asked.
"I have twelve parents on the waiting list who really want a grandmother or grandfather." There are currently four grandparents on loan, three of whom have been placed.
That's how it's done
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Anyone interested in volunteering as a loan grandmother or grandfather should contact Margarete Reifinger.
She answers all questions that can be asked by e-mail to margarete@reifinger.de.
You can find more current news from the district of Fürstenfeldbruck at Merkur.de/Fürstenfeldbruck.
