Six weeks with the emergency mother service in Frankfurt – an intense and enriching time
How I came to join the emergency mother service
For the past six weeks, I have been working for the emergency mother service in Frankfurt—and it has been a truly enriching experience.
I also got the idea from my mother, who has been working regularly as a freelance emergency mother since she retired. She takes on about two assignments a week and really enjoys not only earning some extra money, but above all being needed and helping people. Her positive experiences made me curious—so I tried it out for myself.
My experiences as a social worker
As a social worker, I was able to draw on much of my professional experience. In addition to traditional childcare, I also provided child coaching, stress reduction in everyday life, and little tips—I even taught children’s yoga at one point. I was particularly pleased that one family ordered my media education books afterwards. Click here to see my books. This shows how diverse and individual this work can be.
The applications are so diverse
During this time, I worked for a total of five different families. This assistance is often approved directly by health insurance companies when families or individuals need temporary support.
My assignments ranged from a mother after heart surgery, a mother undergoing chemotherapy, a woman who had hand surgery, to someone with a broken leg. The tasks were very varied—from housework and shopping to childcare.
Another special experience was visiting an elderly lady in Bockenheim who has lived in a beautiful old apartment for over 40 years. I was only there for two and a half hours, but this encounter was incredibly enriching—a little piece of history and a lot of wisdom in one conversation.
Proximity, trust, and genuine encounters
Working for the emergency mother service is very intense because you get close to people—you cook, clean, tidy up, and become a natural part of the household in everyday life. This creates closeness, trust, and often very personal conversations. It can be exhausting at times, but that’s exactly what makes it lively and real.
Especially in a big city like Frankfurt, where everyone often seems to be preoccupied with themselves, it was particularly valuable for me to experience how important mutual assistance and genuine cooperation are.
Opportunities and advantages
It is also exciting from an organizational perspective: assignments can vary greatly in length, from just a few hours per week to longer periods. The regulation regarding the trainer allowance, which allows for up to €3,000 per year to be tax-free, is particularly attractive. This means that you can not only earn some extra money, but also feel good about being truly needed.
My conclusion
These six weeks have shown me how valuable it is to support people directly and in a practical way. For me, it was a mixture of challenge, closeness, gratitude, and genuine joy in my work—and I can highly recommend working at Notmütter. Incidentally, this service is also available in other cities. All information can be found below.
If you would like to apply or find out more: Notmütterdienste Frankfurt
This post is also available in: German
