Worms children's table closes: A farewell with a heavy heart!

Worms children's table closes: A farewell with a heavy heart!

Nowadays, when the after-effects of the corona pandemic are still being felt, an important chapter for the children is ending in the Nordend. The so-called children's table, a project that has given countless children valuable moments over the past six years, is now being discontinued by agreement between sponsors, partners and volunteers. As the Worms newspaper reports, the decision leaves many involved with sadness.

Many children express how important the time at the children's table was for them. “Something will be missing” is a sentence that shapes the little ones’ thoughts. With colorful excursions, baking cookies together during the Christmas season and the opportunity to learn and play, the children's table has established itself as an important source of support during the turbulent times of the pandemic.

The impact of the pandemic on childhood

The corona pandemic has permanently changed the lives of children and young people. The closures of schools and kindergartens have resulted in many families losing their usual support network. This has posed immense challenges, particularly for burdened families. The Specialist article on the topic describes how single parents or families with several children in particular often reached their limits.

On average, parents were busy with paid work, child care and household chores for 12 hours per day during the lockdown. Trying to support learning while working from home presented many with major challenges. About half of the parents needed a lot of support to accompany their children while learning, especially since 10-20% did not have the necessary technical equipment.

But the pandemic has not only increased the stress, it has also changed the family climate. In around one in five families there were frequent conflicts, especially in households with several children or cramped living conditions. Loneliness became particularly noticeable as contacts with grandparents were severely restricted, resulting in less than 5% of children being regularly cared for by their grandparents, compared to a third previously.

Thanks to all supporters

The decision to end the children's table is viewed with gratitude by those responsible. Bruckmeir emphasizes that the project always thrived on the enthusiasm of the people in the Nordend. Thanks should be expressed to the many volunteers and partners who have worked tirelessly to give the children a wonderful time and to support them in this special phase of their lives.

The long-term effects of the pandemic on society, and particularly on intergenerational relationships, are still being studied. It remains unclear how this dynamic will develop in the future, but one thing is certain: the memories and experiences that the children have gained during their time at the children's table will always be with them.