“Fieberfee”, the term is a mystery. What is that supposed to be? As the name suggests, it is a kind of good fairy in a figurative sense. More precisely, about a woman who is usually of retirement age and is often already a grandmother herself and who takes care of the sick children when their parents have to go back to work.
Fever fairies are of course very popular with parents and children when their grandparents are not available. The problem with the matter, however, is: “It’s very difficult for us to find volunteer women who take on this task,” says Antje Feigen. “It’s not an easy task to go home to sick children.” Feigen has been organizing the Fieberfeen in the Würmtal for many years and knows from experience: “The people who do it are always very touched by how well children and families react to it.” Of course, some people also shy away from the risk of infection.
According to Feigen, what makes the job attractive for retired people: “You are very flexible. You can choose the days on which you want to be called at all and you can also go on vacation whenever you want,” she says. You don’t have to squeeze yourself into a grid and you don’t have to declare your work as a fever fairy on your taxes either, because you work on the trainer’s flat rate of 3000 euros a year. “So if you want to make some extra money, that’s great.”
Of course, attempts are always being made to re-establish proven fever fairies with the families in which they have previously worked, says Feigen. Sometimes parents even call the caregivers themselves and ask if they are free to come.
The “Fieberfeen” team is hoping for many new interested parties – including male ones.
(Photo: Arlet Ulfers)
Fieberfeen look after children from the age of two. There are currently five fever fairies. They help little patients in Stockdorf, Gauting, Krailling, Planegg, Graefelfing, Martinsried and Neuried. The fever fairies are organized by the parent-child program (EKP) Gauting. Aspiring fever fairies can also complete a first aid course for children there. The fever fairies have been around for nine years. So far you have only worked in the Würmtal. In all the communities around there are no comparable offers for parents and children. But Feigen knows: “The Starnbergers also want to do something like this, even if they haven’t managed to do it yet.”
Antje Feigen, 63, has been organizing the Fieberfeen for five years now. She lives with her husband in Stockdorf, the couple has two adult children. Now she is handing over the organization of the fairies to Doris Gebhardt because she would like to step down a bit and has other tasks in the EKP. Gebhardt used to be one of the fever fairies, she has a grown-up daughter and is a grandmother herself.
With children’s books and balloons in action
Of course, she also wants to bang the drums for the fever fairies. After all, it’s a really nice job, she says. After all, you can do a lot more with sick children than just read them to them. You can also paint a little with them in bed. If they are doing a little better but cannot go to kindergarten or school yet, there are numerous games that can be played with the children in the house. Of course, fever fairies always have books, balloons and toys with them when they go to the little patients. Feigen knows that anyone who has decided to become a fever fairy is very enthusiastic about it and often stays with it for years. “Because the task is firstly fun and secondly very enriching.” As expected, most of the work for the fever fairies occurs in February. This is the cold month par excellence. In the summer, due to the weather, there is less work for the fairies to do.
Incidentally, there have not yet been any male applicants for the care job. A circumstance that the fever fairies regret, because grandfathers would also be very welcome. Since the word “fever fairy” doesn’t really fit a man, you would have to think of another name for it: maybe “fever magician”.