It is not without reason that the word “Kindergarden” also exists in English as a German loanword. The kindergarten was founded by a German educator. Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel laid the foundation for it. And the pedagogically valuable support of children is still taken care of in Germany today. The country not only offers children their own programmes for entertainment on television. Many offers are also organised to support children’s development and clarify curious questions.
From the cities to the clubs to the kindergartens and schools, there is a wide variety of offers for children. Sports offers are also among them. Sport provides exercise. But new friendships can also be made quickly through the events and institutions. In the kindergarten, the children are prepared for school and supported by educational specialists. The kindergarten also enables parents to return to their jobs more quickly. Incidentally, there is even a legal right to admission to kindergarten in Germany if registration is made in good time. This means that if the kindergarten has capacity, it may not turn children away. In recent years, the country’s legislation has further underlined the child-friendliness of the country with this jurisdiction. But it is not only in the institutions that there is good support for children.
Most Germans are also open-minded and open to talking to children. In addition, many associations take care of the children’s needs with valuable youth work. Musically and also artistically, they are supported in the best possible way in Germany. The skills learned here, such as playing an instrument, can make a person happy throughout his or her life.
The cultural awakening from 1968 onwards has led to people meeting each other more loosely across family boundaries and taking children seriously. The personal rights of children were also strengthened. Beating a child is a criminal offence in Germany. This is to prevent parents from using violence. In contrast to other countries, the use of slapping and other forms of violence against children has steadily declined in recent decades. Awareness has spread among Germans that children can be permanently harmed by this. Every single child who is hit less is an important step forward.
The legislator has set clear limits for this. It is good that there is also a clear position on children’s rights in Germany. Germany is also implementing the right to attend school with compulsory education. Education by parents in their own home is thus not allowed. This ensures that children also receive a comprehensive perspective on the world. Some parents who want to give their child a strong religious upbringing or withhold sex education from them see this as a disadvantage to the country. Germany prohibits them from “homeschooling”, i.e. schooling in their own home at their own discretion.
However, if one wants all children to also learn about evolution and to be educated meaningfully at the right time, compulsory education is an important achievement. Germany enforces it consistently. This consistent enforcement is for the good of the children and that is a good thing.
Last updated on 6. February 2023