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What can prenatal examinations do?

As children get older and more independent, family models can be renegotiated. Where previously a lot of support from parents was required, young people who are about to reach the age of majority become increasingly independent and organize themselves. This also means more freedom and more self-determined time for parents. After all, the offspring can take on one or two age-appropriate tasks in the family household within an agreed time frame and thus contribute to the community. Maybe now is the time to return to work after a longer family phase. Or you may be considering increasing the number of hours you work part-time to full-time. From the initial idea to the final implementation, a number of questions will come to mind, for example: How can I successfully return to work? Do I want to go back to my old job or reorient myself? Do I have the right skills for this or what knowledge do I need to acquire? How can family life remain harmonious even with new challenges? Information and tips on reconciling work and family life and returning to work can be found in this section of the family portal.

A big issue at this age is: Who am I and what's next? Growing up is not always a piece of cake. Young people between the ages of 16 and 18 ask themselves many questions and grapple with numerous issues. They are intensively concerned with their identity, their future and their role in the world. While they took their personality for granted as a child, external perception is now becoming increasingly important. Do I already seem mature enough? Do I know where I want to go in life? What values do I stand for and where do I want to develop in the future? This form of finding one's identity and discovering and weighing up perspectives can feel overwhelming. The step from "teen" to adult is a special one in the lives of the whole family. Especially the young people themselves, who have to deal with feelings, dreams and visions of the future during this phase of their lives. Parents remain important confidants and contact persons during this time, with whom these thoughts can be shared in an atmosphere of trust. After all, they know their children best. Because even mothers and fathers who give advice sometimes need good advice, we have compiled information and suggestions here that can help you support your child in their self-discovery.

School-leaving certificate (soon) in the bag and now what? Young people today have a wealth of options: continuing school, internships, voluntary service, a year abroad, training, studying or a combination of both in the form of a dual study program. It's not easy to make the right decision! Parents are important partners at their children's side during this orientation phase. What does a convincing application look like? What are the requirements for different courses of study and which paths lead abroad after leaving school? Some young adults have a clear idea of what they want to do after school and can hardly wait for the last day of school. Others don't really feel ready for a new stage in their lives and are rather overwhelmed by the multitude of options. Then there are the general questions that need to be clarified within the family: What is financially possible? Do I feel ready to move out or would I rather stay at home for a while longer? Find out more about the various options on the Familienportal.NRW. With the information and tips, you will receive support with the upcoming decisions on the path to your offspring's professional future. Here you will also find information on programs and online offers that can support your child during the career orientation phase.

Between the ages of 16 and 18 - on the cusp of adulthood - your child has many stumbling blocks and challenges to overcome. At this age, adolescents develop their own minds and opinions and try to assert them. Cutting the cord is one of the most important developmental tasks. However, it is not uncommon for disagreements to arise with parents, siblings, friends or even teachers at school or in the workplace during this time. Fears about the future, the search for meaning, pressure to perform, role expectations and emotional fluctuations can lead to crises and conflicts in the family. Minor crises usually pass quickly, but other problems may last longer. Whether it's problems at school, uncertainties about education and career choices or tensions within the family and among friends, there is a way out of most crises and conflicts. The Familienportal.NRW provides information and tips on how parents and young people can deal with these challenges and overcome crises. Also important to know: You can get help and support at any time in difficult times. Find out here about the free counseling services for parents and young people and where you can find a counseling center near you.

School graduation is approaching and your child is well on the way to becoming an adult. Everyday family life is changing again: friends are becoming increasingly important, conversations about the future career are gaining in importance. Most teenagers can hardly wait to finally be allowed to drive their own car and make their own decisions. At the same time, your child is faced with important questions: How do I imagine my future after school? Vocational training, university, a social year or a trip abroad? What options are there and which ones suit me best? However, the process of leaving home often leads to arguments between children and parents. Perhaps you too are asking yourself questions such as: How much parental influence is okay? How can we continue to have a good conversation? There are a variety of counseling services available to help with such challenges and to ease the transition from adolescence to adulthood - from general life counseling to specific career counseling and conflict counseling. Some services are aimed at you as parents, others exclusively at the adolescents themselves. Young people between the ages of 16 and 18 often want to look for solutions independently and (initially) independently of their parents. Here you will find information on counseling options for all topics related to this transition phase.

The 16th and 18th birthdays are eagerly awaited by most teenagers. The great independence and the feeling of freedom are within reach. After all, every birthday brings new rights - but also new responsibilities. What was previously conveniently arranged by parents now requires a little more personal commitment and self-responsible organization, always depending on your own life path. Many young people start working small part-time jobs as teenagers to supplement their pocket money. Others are already planning what they will do after school and how they can finance their studies, a stay abroad or a specific apprenticeship. And then there's the big dream of their first apartment - or at least a room in a shared flat. How does it all work, and what laws actually apply to young people who are slowly growing up? What new insurance policies do they need to take out and what obligations do they have to observe? Are there any state subsidies for education and the like? What can parents do to keep an overview and support their children? Here you will find answers and useful information on rights and obligations, financial issues relating to money and insurance as well as formal to-dos for young adolescents.

Parental assistance and accompanied parenting

The intense time in which everything revolves around the well-being of the children is slowly coming to an end. The more grown-up the offspring become, the more personal freedom returns. There is more space for relationships and friends, for hobbies and leisure activities. Of course, you will be happy about the independence you have regained, but there may also be a little bit of melancholy when the children become more and more independent and eventually move out of home completely. When the children finally leave home, family life will change significantly. It may even feel like a new beginning. For many parents, it's a time to look back and reflect. Didn't our son just start school? Did I prepare my daughter well enough for her independent life? What was our relationship like before we had children? The new role of parent requires a rethink and letting go of previous responsibilities. Feelings such as insecurity, anxiety, empty nest syndrome, but also joy and excitement about many new possibilities can arise. Now is the time to rediscover everyday life together. Here you will find ideas and suggestions on how you can shape this next phase of your life and nurture your relationship with your adult child.

A trusting relationship with your children is important to parents, even as they gradually grow up and become more independent. Although young people are legally of age at 18, their development is far from complete. The transition to adulthood cannot be limited to a specific age, but is a very individual process. Parents continue to play an important role in the lives of their growing children. Mothers and fathers remain important contacts in the family relationship when it comes to good advice and decision-making support, even if their role as parents changes significantly. The development of young people is a multi-layered process that encompasses various aspects: their own personality, social skills and professional inclinations. How can parents support their children in this development process? How much room for self-development is right? How much influence is necessary and right? And how can parents remain a reliable source of advice when their adult offspring have their own experiences and have to overcome challenges? A lot is going on with young adults at this stage of their lives. Some young adults want to try out lots of things in their new-found freedom, while others don't quite know what to do with themselves. Read here how you can accompany your child on the path to adulthood, resolve conflicts on the way to independence and find the right balance between family closeness and distance.