Various menstrual products
News

pme donates: Periodensystem e.V.

Maxi Bethge-Lewandoski has a vision: to end period poverty in Germany and promote education around the topic of menstruation. As the founder of the voluntary association Periodensystem e.V., she is committed to giving the topic of menstruation the attention it deserves. In this interview, Maxi gives us an insight into her inspiring work and the challenges involved. 

"The topic of menstruation and period poverty needs more social awareness and attention."

Who is behind the periodic table?

Maxi : We are an association founded and run by volunteers. Each and every one of us pursues the mission of creating more equality and providing low-threshold help and education on period poverty and menstruation. 

Our members have been collecting donations since 2016 to provide those in need with period and hygiene products. We also work with artists, gynecologists, schools and companies to raise awareness. The topic of menstruation and period poverty needs more social awareness and attention.

What does your daily work look like?

Maxi: We distribute period and hygiene items to emergency shelters, schools, organizations and mother and child homes, among others. We are also in close contact with homeless shelters and social institutions. This means we always know what is needed when and can guarantee that the donations arrive where they are needed. We supply emergency shelters such as those run by GEBEWO, Berliner Stadtmission, SKF and DRK directly with menstrual and hygiene products via our crowdfunding page on betterplace.org

Through our online community on Instagram and Facebook, we educate people about period poverty and the topics of menstruation, equality and more in general. 

In regular online live sessions, meet-ups and interviews, our team and community members provide information on topics such as intersexuality, pregnancy, homelessness and sexuality. We also offer workshops for companies, schools and events to raise awareness of the topic among as many social groups as possible.

We make the topic visible on Instagram and cooperate with companies to get it out of the taboo zone.


Access to menstrual products is not a matter of course.

How did you come up with the idea of campaigning for period education?

Maxi : I have always thought about what actually happens to menstruating women when they are in need. People think about food, clothes and sleeping bags first, but not about periods. 

Then I heard about projects in the UK and the USA and created a crowdfunding page on Betterplace.org. I got GEBEWO on board as a partner to buy products for their emergency shelter and that's how Periodensystem came about.

What do you think a fair world looks like when it comes to dealing with menstruation - and what do you think still needs to change to get there?

Maxi: We have five demands: more education through better education policy in schools and drop-in centers, more public toilets as a shelter for menstruating women, better social policy regarding rent policy and wage levels, better health policy with education and research into diseases, and free items in public buildings - like in Scotland.

What challenges do you face most often in your day-to-day work - be it in terms of organization, financing or dealing with social taboos?

Maxi: In the social sector, our work is widely respected and recognized. We are particularly well received in communities that are committed to equality and social justice. But as soon as we move into the corporate sector, we often encounter challenges. Here, the issue is often seen as a "nice to have" - a side issue that doesn't always get the attention it deserves. 

Especially in the current political and economic situation, there is a risk that topics such as menstruation and sex education will once again disappear from the focus of public perception.
At the same time, we are seeing an increasing demand for sustainable period products, which is pleasing, but also places a heavy burden on our financial and logistical capacities.

How do people react when they hear about your work for the first time?

Maxi: We often hear: "That's right, I haven't even thought about that yet."


According to Plan International menstruating people spend on average between 550 and 650 euros on period products per year.

Are there any stories or encounters that have particularly touched you?

Maxi: There are many touching stories, but the words of thanks from people we have been able to help directly are particularly motivating.

You have received a donation of 10,000 euros from pme. What projects have you already been able to implement or would you like to implement with it?

Maxi: The generous donation of 10,000 euros helps us enormously to drive our work forward and distribute sustainable period products exactly where they are most urgently needed. With these funds, we can not only cover acute needs, but also implement projects aimed at long-term education and awareness-raising.

When people want to support you: What helps you most at the moment - apart from financial donations?

Maxi: Please invite us to your companies so that we can talk about this important topic there. Such conversations help to raise awareness of sustainable menstrual products and remove taboos from the topic in professional environments.

You can also support us by sharing our Instagram profile. If you have school-age children, we would be very happy if you could promote the topic in your children's schools. "Ella's World" is a fantastic guide to providing age-appropriate and informal education about menstruation for 9-14 year olds.

Social commitment of the pme Familienservice

The "pme donates" fundraising campaign has been running for four years, giving pme team members the opportunity to nominate charitable organizations in the areas of international development aid, social work, climate and animal protection and culture for a donation, which they actively support. All team members then vote for the organizations they want to support. The organizations with the most votes receive a donation from pme Familienservice. In 2024, six national and international organizations received a total of 50,000 euros in donations.

zero Media and children: tips against excessive consumption

Media and children: tips against excessive consumption
Parent & Child

Media and children: tips against excessive consumption

"Just one more episode. Please!" Parents should show their children how to use digital media competently. This does not mean imposing strict bans every day, but setting clear rules and having open conversations with the children. But what is the best approach for me as a parent?

1. how much media time is healthy for my child?

According to the Mediaplus study (2020), TV is still the most popular medium among children aged between 3 and 13. Almost 61% of the children surveyed watch TV every day.

However, TV is not only the most frequently used medium, but also the longest. On average, children spend up to 2.5 hours in front of the screen. On average, they spend 40 minutes on their smartphone. Tablets and PCs account for less than 20 minutes. The older the children are, the more important the smartphone is to them. For example, 57% of 10 to 13-year-olds use their cell phone every day.

On the other hand, there are recommendations on how long and how often children and young people should use screen media per day, depending on their age group:

  • Toddlers between the ages of 0 and 3 should not have fixed times for TV, smartphone, tablet or computer.
  • In the age group from 3 to 6 years, a joint usage time of 30 minutes is planned.
  • In the age group from 6 to 10 years, a maximum of 45 to 60 minutes.
  • For 10- to 13-year-olds, screen time should also be kept to around 60 minutes, although there is room for negotiation in this age group.
  • Between the ages of 13 and 17, it is still advisable to agree on usage times in order to protect young people from excessive use.

Nevertheless, it is difficult to set guidelines as family and personal situations vary greatly. Young people should be regularly monitored for their well-being and whether they have enough time for school, training, hobbies and friends. 

Table: How long are children allowed to use media?

2. tips for relaxed cell phone use by your child

Carline Krügl, systemic consultant and coach, gives tips on how you can implement sensible cell phone use for your child in a relaxed manner.

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3. corona pandemic has doubled media addiction among children and young people

As a distraction against stress, cabin fever and loneliness, digital media offered young people a variety of uses during the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the associated restrictions have led to increased media consumption. This is confirmed by the results of a study conducted by the statutory health insurance provider DAK in 2022.

According to the study, media addiction among children and young people has increased since 2019:

  • Around 2.2 million children and young people exhibit problematic usage behavior in relation to gaming, social media or streaming. This means that they are at risk of media addiction or are already addicted.
  • Around six percent of minors are addicted to computer games and social media. That's around 600,000 boys and girls across Germany, with boys being affected more frequently.
  • The number of children and young people addicted to computer games rose from 2.7 percent in 2019 to 6.3 percent in June 2022. In the case of social media, media addiction doubled from 3.2 to 6.7 percent.

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What is media addiction?

People are considered media addicts if they use consumer media excessively and over a longer period of time. They lose control over healthy usage behavior, withdraw from other areas of life and neglect real social contacts and everyday life.

Despite the negative consequences of their excessive consumption, those affected continue their behavior.

Source: Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection 

 

4 How much media does a child need?

Determining the right level of media use can vary from child to child of the same age.

Every child is influenced to different degrees by media content. Parents should keep a close eye on their child before setting fixed guidelines. How does my child feel after media time? Does it seem apathetic, over-excited or aggressive after watching TV or playing computer games?

The DAK prevention campaign "Media Addiction 2020" shows five signs of how to recognize unhealthy use of digital media in children.

5. five signs of unhealthy use of digital media

1. too much, too long, too intense

First playing on the PC, then watching your favorite series and in between checking social media channels or answering messages on the smartphone: the use of digital media in everyday life is diverse. Parents should therefore keep an eye on their children's frequency and duration of use.

2. reduced performance

Children who use media very intensively can sometimes appear tired, listless or absent-minded. In the long term, this condition can have negative consequences for school.

3. impairment of family life and friendships

Another sign of unhealthy media use is when family time together suffers or appointments in the real world are neglected. If a child loses interest in joint activities, quickly wants to return to the virtual world or hardly ever meets up with friends, this can lead to social isolation.

4. neglect of other hobbies

It is completely normal for children to change their hobbies and shift their interests. However, if the hobby is neglected due to increased media use, parents should take a closer look.

5. psychological abnormalities

Media consumption becomes unhealthy when children quickly become nervous as soon as they cannot or are not allowed to use their smartphone, tablet or PC. Some children then quickly become irritable or aggressive.

6. media usage time: six tips for parents for healthy use

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1. agree on the time of the week instead of the time of day

For older children from the age of ten, it is advisable to give them more responsibility for organizing their media time. Parents can agree a weekly time quota for this. If the agreed time is already used up after two days, the screens stay off for the rest of the week. This allows children to gain their own experience of time management by having to allocate resources with foresight.

2. set screen times and ensure compliance

Introducing fixed times and sticking to them creates orientation and reliability for children and young people. For younger children in particular, it is a good idea to set an alarm clock that rings as soon as the agreed time has elapsed. This gives them a sense of the time that has already passed.

It can also be discussed with the child at what times it is better to consume media. For older children, time limits can be set in the operating system so that the device or program switches off automatically. However, it is better if children learn to stick to the agreements.

3. do not include screen time for school

Schoolchildren sometimes need digital media for learning or for homework. Parents should not include this time in the agreed screen time. This is because the media serves a different purpose here. Free screen time is for discovery, sharing, fun and entertainment.

4. define media-free times and places

Digital media is part of our everyday lives. This is precisely why it can be beneficial for families to specifically create media-free times and places. A particularly popular rule is for all family members to put their smartphones away at the dinner table. Other options include, for example, not playing computer games for two hours before bedtime or only watching your favorite series after doing your homework.

5. promote analog activities

It is important to show children what leisure activities are available outside the virtual world. When boredom sets in, there's no need to switch on the TV straight away. Playing freely in nature, swimming, hiking or discovering animals is also fun, enjoyable and entertaining.

6. be a role model

Finally, parents should also pay attention to their own media usage behavior. How often do I use my smartphone? Is the TV on continuously in the background? Do I surf the internet non-stop or scroll up and down through social media channels?

7. further information on media usage times

Kindergesundheit-info.de

Klicksafe.de