They were both very young when they met four years ago on Facebook and later fell in love. The relationship between Tamara Huber * from Linz and Max Auer from Mühlviertel worked well for the first two years. Together they rent an old but idyllic Bauernsacherl in the Mühlviertel. “In 2018 our dream child Eleonora was born. A year later, Mario came, who wasn’t planned,” says Max.
But soon after Mario’s birth, his girlfriend becomes depressed and begins to neglect the little one. “He was sometimes in a cot all day and often only got cocoa bottles because Tamara rarely cooked,” says Max, who works full-time as a skilled craftsman.
But his wages do not keep up with the high consumer spending of his partner. “Within a week she spent 1000 euros on online purchases. I told her something had to change. It can’t go on like this with the children and the money,” says the young father. The relationship falls apart.
At the end of June, the mother of two moved in with a young man with whom she had been in contact for a long time. After a week she brings daughter Eleonora to her home. The youth welfare office intervenes and the two come to a mother-child home. In mid-July, Max applied for the so-called right to determine the right of residence for Eleonora and Mario and was granted it provisionally by the district court because his ex-girlfriend had neither an apartment nor an income. She does not appear at the last hearing.
Grandma and Urli help out
At the beginning of September, Max moves into a new apartment with his two children. “I was looking for one with two children’s rooms so that each child has their own room,” says the single parent, who cannot count on support from the poor child’s mother, but from his family. “Every weekday at five o’clock in the morning my mum drives to us. She makes breakfast for the children, brings Eleonora to the crèche and takes care of Mario at home. My grandma also regularly takes care of my children,” says Max, who is happy about the support of his family is.
“Mei Papa, mei Papa”, Eleonora and Mario screech happily when their father comes home after a long day at work that starts at 6 am. The two and three year old children only see their mother every two weeks, although the court would have given the woman more visiting days.
“Never stand penniless”
The financial burden for the young father is high, also because of the debts from the relationship with the child’s mother, for which he has to be responsible. The small family currently urgently needs a new washing machine, a wardrobe, two step shelves and a youth bed for Eleonora so that Mario can take over his sister’s cot. Max’s greatest wish? “That my children are never left penniless.”
* All names changed by the editor.
Help in helping
For many Upper Austrians, Christmas is not a celebration of joy – when sudden deaths, bad diagnoses and financial hardships put a strain on their lives. You can help these people with a donation to the Christkindl account (IBAN: AT94 2032 0000 0011 1790).
Article by
René Laglstorfer
Editor country and people
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