New Idea in Childcare

[bluespoke]

I found this story on Ananova

'Headteacher baby-sits kids while teenage mums learn

A headteacher in Germany is baby-sitting his pupils' children in his office so they don't drop out of school.

Guenter Rychlik says he wants to help teenage mothers at his school finish their education.

The 60-year-old from Heufeld in Bavaria is currently looking after a 10-month-old girl and a newborn boy.

According to Sueddeutsche Zeitung, he looks after Angelina and Daniel while their mothers attend lessons.

They come into the office at breaks to change and feed their babies.

Angelina is beginning to crawl around so Mr Rychlik is thinking about employing someone to help him keep an eye on the children.'



Is this really a good way to discourage teenage pregnancies?

 

[Wiggles]

It's not really a good way to discourage them, but it's a good way to help them get an education. If he's alright doing it I don't see any problem with it.

I'm wondering how he get's His work done though.

 

[lovetoread]

I think its great. Had the option of help been there for me,I would have never dropped out of school when I was in the 12th grade.

 

[Lady Violet]

A safe environment for the children?

As an early childhood educator, I am surprised that its actually being allowed for someone to do that. I'm all for a young mother to continue her education, but I also feel its imortant for her children to be well taken care of. Being looked after in an office is not my idea of a safe environment for children.

 

[TN_Vixen]

Re: A safe environment for the children?

Being looked after in an office is not my idea of a safe environment for children.

myyounger sister and I both brought our young children (infant to toddler) into work with us. We were fortunate to have that opportunity. I see no way it could be harmful.

 

[Lady Violet]

Re: Re: A safe environment for the children?

myyounger sister and I both brought our young children (infant to toddler) into work with us. We were fortunate to have that opportunity. I see no way it could be harmful.

I imagine its nice to have the children with you at work, especially if there isnt another care option but what I was concerned about was the ability to actually care for children while working. As a teacher, I'm sure he had to leave at times to teach, and he has his own work too. I'm sure you were able to find a balance between the children and work. I guess I just couldn't do it, although my job is to look after children! lol

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying its a bad idea, just needs to be thought out more.

 

[Azwed]

I am going to make some assumptions here.

They used the term Head Teacher. I think that is more of an administrative positon then an actualy teaching position. I would need to have someone with experience in the German education system define it for me to be sure though.

To me it sounds like a principal or department head. Someone who spends all or most of his/her time in an office and does not teach.

 

[morninggirl5]

I think Azwed is right that the Head Teacher is an administrative post. The "Lead Teacher" in our school is actually the Assistant Principal.

There are several high schools here in the US that have child care programs for students' children. They are more common in more urban areas, part of the many alternative school programs. The programs aren't designed to discourage teen pregnancy but to encourage teens who are already parents to continue their educations.