Figure of the month: Results of the parent survey

How do parents in NRW organize their everyday family life?

Text last updated: 2026-04-01

Families in NRW are so diverse

Every month, we ask a question about everyday family life in North Rhine-Westphalia on our homepage. We always publish the results as an infographic the following month. Discover the results of all past parent surveys here.

What was particularly important to you when dividing up your parental leave?

Evaluation:

Care of the child by the mother
20%
A division that allows both of them roughly the same amount of parental leave
20%
A well-planned transition to childcare
20%
Good career prospects for both parents
17%
It was primarily a financial decision
23%
What do you think will change for families working from home?

Evaluation:

More time together in everyday life
16%
Better reconciliation of work and family life
27%
More flexible daily organization
24%
More closeness in family life
9%
Separating family and work is more difficult when working from home
16%
Unfortunately, working from home is not possible in my field of work
7%
What is your biggest challenge when eating together with your family?

Evaluation:

Healthy food ingredients are not always children's favorites
0%
Sometimes we simply don't have time to eat together
20%
The hectic pace of everyday life makes it difficult to cook healthy and varied meals every day
20%
There is often a lack of peace and quiet at mealtimes to engage in conversation
0%
It's not always easy to reconcile the preferences of all family members
40%
Something else
20%
Volunteering or not - where do you do charitable work in your community?

Evaluation:

Daycare center or school (e.g. parents' council, support association)
75%
Sports club (e.g. training, organization, supervision)
25%
Neighborhood or district (e.g. neighborhood assistance, initiatives)
0%
Elderly assistance or care (of relatives)
0%
Social, cultural or church
0%
I don't have the time to fit additional tasks into my daily routine
0%
Something else
0%
How does your family cope with caring for your child during the cold season?

Evaluation:

With us, the same parent always takes over the nursing care
0%
We both provide nursing care, depending on our professional availability
50%
You can't do without grandparents/uncles/aunts
50%
A lot can be cushioned by working from home
0%
Something else
0%
What makes spending time with grandma and grandpa special for children?

Evaluation:

The loving support
0%
Patience and undivided attention
75%
Relaxed interaction without time pressure
0%
Stories from the past and traditions
25%
Special activities such as a visit to the zoo
0%
Something else
0%
Who is your first port of call when things get difficult in everyday life?

Evaluation:

My partner
67%
Parents or parents-in-law
33%
Siblings or other relatives
0%
Friends or girlfriends
0%
Another important reference person
0%
What is your recipe for ensuring that your children can grow up carefree?

Evaluation:

Lots of exercise and joint activities
38%
Talking and listening
23%
Freedom and independence
15%
Love and security
15%
Nature and fresh air
8%
What did your family find most challenging when preparing for school enrollment?

Evaluation:

Finding the right school
46%
Practicing the safe way to school
17%
Get everything you need for school
17%
Shaping the transition from daycare to school and how we can accompany our child
15%
Other reasons
5%