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Do you have older children between the ages of 16 and 18 and are looking for leisure activities for the whole family? This can sometimes be a real challenge. Here are some tips and suggestions for fun times together. It is particularly important for families with lots of children that excursions and vacations remain affordable. Luckily, North Rhine-Westphalia is home to numerous bathing waters in summer that offer perfect refreshment and are easy on the wallet at the same time. Here, young and old can be active or simply relax and enjoy their time in the water. The most important bathing rules must be observed to ensure that the bathing trip remains untroubled. Further information can be found in the corresponding topic area. Holidays at last! The best time of the year is just around the corner. But despite all the anticipation, it's easy to get into arguments on vacation. That's completely normal. We'll give you tips on how to quickly overcome stress and arguments so that your family vacation remains a wonderful memory. One thing is certain: in NRW, you will experience unforgettable moments that bring fun, relaxation and adventure for the whole family.

Families with children are supported by the state with various family policy measures. The benefits are designed to relieve the financial burden on families, enable parents and children to lead a good life and make it easier to combine family and career. Family policy benefits include, for example, child benefit and parental allowance, tax relief and many other benefits.We have summarized the most important state benefits for parents in a short, concise and easy-to-understand way. For a clear presentation, the overview is divided into financial benefits for parents in the period before the birth and after the birth of the child. A further chapter deals with state benefits for parents who are facing particular challenges.This allows you to navigate through the pages with just a few clicks and target the topics you want. To the interactive PDF

What's new in family lawCustody law, child custody law, maintenance law, naming law and much more: there are frequent legal innovations in family matters. Stay up to date and find out about selected topics. Here you will find current changes in family law, planned reforms and important family law rulings.

Children between the ages of 3 and 6 experience an exciting time full of discoveries and adventures. Digital media is already part of everyday life for the little ones - from their favorite film and drawing apps to playful online learning opportunities. But how much television and media consumption is okay at this age? This is a question that concerns many parents. However, it is not only the duration of media use that is important, but also the selection of content. Which programs and apps are really age-appropriate? Which films and videos promote your child's development and which could convey inappropriate messages? Finding the right approach to media is certainly not always easy. The variety on offer is overwhelming and it is often difficult to know what content is suitable for your child. Through targeted media education, you as parents can lay important foundations for a healthy approach to media right from the start. In this way, you can guide your child in age-appropriate and small steps in the sensible use of media. In this topic block, you will learn how you can positively influence your child's media behavior. Grow together as a family and learn how digital media can be meaningfully integrated into everyday life.

Children between the ages of 6 and 10 are increasingly developing their own interest in digital media. Whether it's watching TV together, immersing themselves in exciting computer games or even getting their first cell phone - media is becoming increasingly important at this stage of life. But how much screen time is still acceptable? And when does it make sense to have your own cell phone? The balance between fascination and responsibility is not always easy to find. As a parent, you are faced with the task of balancing your child's media use while at the same time paying attention to potential dangers such as media addiction and cybergrooming. Targeted media education is the key to teaching your child how to use digital content safely. So that your child learns early on how to use their cell phone and other digital devices responsibly. As a parent, you can help your child develop a healthy and reflective relationship with media that encourages fun and exploration, but also protects them from potential dangers. Here you will find valuable tips and information to help you guide your child through this important development phase. Read how you can set rules for media use together and how you can support your child in using digital media sensibly and safely.

Digital media is becoming increasingly important for children aged between 10 and 16 as they get older. They communicate via social networks such as Instagram and TikTok, get information online and follow the content of influencers. However, intensive media use also harbors dangers: Media addiction and cybergrooming are risks that children can come into contact with. In addition, unrealistic ideals of beauty propagated on social media can have a negative impact on self-image and mental health. As parents, you have the important task of supporting your child in this sensitive phase of life and helping them to develop a healthy approach to media. Comprehensive media education is particularly important in this age group. It enables you to empower your child to critically scrutinize digital content and protect themselves from the dangers of the digital world. In this focus topic, you will find practical tips and valuable suggestions on how you can guide your child through this exciting but also challenging phase of life. You will learn how to develop strategies together to positively shape your child's media use and strengthen their media skills .

The years between 16 and 18 are a time of transition and self-discovery. Teenagers become young adults and use digital media to inform themselves, entertain themselves and communicate with their peers. They are often confronted with issues such as ideals of beauty, cybergrooming and media addiction. At this stage of life, it is particularly important that young people learn to critically scrutinize media and not allow themselves to be influenced by unrealistic ideals. In-depth media education plays a key role here, as it helps young adolescents to develop a healthy self-image and to shape their media use in a conscious and reflective manner. As parents, you can provide crucial support during this time by talking openly about the challenges of the digital world and developing strategies together with your child to deal with them. Here you will find valuable suggestions and tips from everyday family life on how to accompany your child on the way to a self-determined and responsible approach to media. Together, you can ensure that your child navigates the digital world safely and finds a healthy balance between online and offline life.

Media also play a central role in the everyday lives of young adults aged 18 and over - whether for information, entertainment or communication. However, the risks of the digital media world, such as media addiction, remain relevant for this age group too. As parents, you can continue to play an important role by engaging in an open and equal exchange with your adult child. Show an interest in their media habits and stay in touch about current issues. By engaging in a respectful dialog as equals, in which there is also room for critical discussions, you can help to promote conscious and healthy media use. In this section, you will find numerous suggestions and tips on how young adults can further develop their media skills and arm themselves against negative influences from the digital world. Both parents and young adults can find valuable support here to help them use media consciously and responsibly during this important phase of their lives.

Just a child - now a teenager: when your children become teenagers, a new chapter begins for the family. The onset of puberty marks the beginning of a time of upheaval for parents and children. Find out more about the changes and development in this age phase. The information on the Familienportal.NRW and answers to frequently asked questions can help you get through this sometimes turbulent time together.

All parents want a suitable school for their child to ensure a successful school career. In addition to comprehensive schools and grammar schools, there are many other options. The education and care section provides you with an overview of the range of secondary schools and school types in NRW.

New topics keep coming up during puberty: How do parents manage the balancing act between giving support and letting go? How do parents address the topic of contraception? How can parents protect their child from addiction? We have compiled initial information, links and downloads on these and many other questions. If you would like professional advice, you are welcome to contact one of the parenting advice centers in NRW free of charge. You can find an overview of the contact points in the Counseling section.

It's also worth taking a look at the Financial & Formal Matters section. In addition to tips on pocket money, you can find out which tax benefits parents can benefit from and how you can apply for state benefits for families.
 

The baby is here! Our warmest congratulations. Use the time in the postpartum period to get to know and cuddle your baby and to get used to everyday life with your baby in peace and quiet. You will see that in the first year of life, your baby will make rapid progress every month. On the Familienportal.NRW, you will find many useful reading recommendations on topics such as development, early support and health to accompany you on your journey through the first twelve months.

Once your newborn has discovered the light of day, there are already a lot of formalities that you as new parents have to take care of in the first few weeks. From applying for parental allowance and child benefit to taking advantage of tax benefits for families with children, you will find everything you need to know about financial and formal matters on the Familienportal.NRW.

Maybe you will soon be asking yourself questions about balancing family and career? Find out which daycare is best suited to you. Our tips on returning to work are also useful if you want to return to work early. 
And if you sometimes feel overwhelmed by the challenges of everyday life with a baby, have worries and fears or are personally in a difficult situation? Then you should definitely seek free advice from one of the specialist advice centers in North Rhine-Westphalia. Whether it's a parenting, partnership and conflict advice center or an early intervention center for children with a disability: you are sure to find a suitable contact person in your area using the search functions on Familienportal.NRW.