to be upset that Germany always seems to be getting such a bad press on MN?

[emkana]

The thing is, I can understand where people are coming from, as living here now I find quite a few things that many German parents (and non-parents) do quite bizarre as well.

But it still saddens me...

Hi fink! Having a chilled out weekend? We were at the Europa birthady party at Brandenburger Tor, was packed so now we're tired out.
Yes a good kg teacher should recognise that a child isn't ready on the social side, but what went wrong with us - was the fact that dd appeared "ready" for school but she was being compared to 2 and 3 year olds (the majority in her group) and her 2 friends who were meant to go to school any way. Dd of course played with those 2 girls all the time so I think they thought, lets suggest her for early school or we'll have to entertain her when her friends have left.

fink, doesn't sound pompos at all...I think it's pretty much spot on

Do they still do pre-school examinations nowadays? I.e. they will test eyesight, compare height and weight and stuff like coordination, etc...to see if a child is ready for school!

3bunnies, yes, "Schularztuntersuchung" in Feb/March. Ours is pretty good; she diagnosed a "scoliosis" (?) in ds1 and we were like: "Oh my god, an -osis! What's he got?" and she told us that at his age children often have muscles/bones growing at different rates so their back bones can be uneven etc. Turned out he still has it, no big deal but it was so mild at the time, I'm still impressed she caught it. We should make sure he does lots of sport.
Have to say, though I'm a great fan of the good local GP - and ours in the village is excellent & I make sure the dc are on his list in case of emergencies at 3am - I do like the system here of sending children to a paediatrician. Downside is we go v. rarely and find the waiting room full of mums with children who "had a high temp (37.9C) at the weekend so we thought we'd better see a doctor"

Oh dear I hadn't noticed. I've just pointed my German friend in the direction of MN as she's keen to 'meet' other Germans and perhaps speak in her native tongue again.

Bad timing?

No, we think the health system is great, the "green" lifestyle admirable, the wine delicious, the attitude to children refreshingly positive, the towns clean, the people friendly and very anglophile, and whilst we have many suggestions on how they could improve their school system, we think it's a flipping great place to live
Stimmt so [smile}

even

Spidermama, tell her that I'm sure she'll feel very welcome here, I think I was being a touch oversensitive!

It's interesting what you all say about the school starting age - I've gone the other way really - when I came to the UK I thought it was horrible to start so early, but now seeing dd1 in school I think she is positively thriving, whereas I think that some Kindergaerten in Germany could maybe do more with the children. Also, I find it quite harsh in Germany - one minute they are doing all free play in Kindergarten, next they're off to school with a timetable and homework etc. I find it better here that things change gradually over time from play-based to more structured activities.

Agree, Emkana, that's why I'm pleased the kg here has found a good balance between play and learning.

Shall we all have a group hug then?

Ich liiiiiiiiiiiiiiebe Euch alle...

Not much good at "Kuesschen" but bloody glad I found Mumsnet

And anything with an Umlaut is a bl**dy nightmare. Not to mention the diminutive twee stuff. Even my Dss (8 & 10) say, "Oh Mum, kissichen, smoochichen!" to wind me up.

Emkana, my best friend is german (although living over here now, and she says she wouldn't go back whilst her children are small because of the schooling system). And I love the "German" things she has introduced me to. Haribo, Cinnamon stars at Christmas (can't remeber the real name but they are gorgeous and so easy to make), the concept of Abendbrot - makes meals for the kids so much easier, Tchibo, boiled meatballs. So no German bashing from me

Oh and the fact that her nickname for her dd is "Kreutzer" whih I though was alovely word until she told me it meant toad

Thanks prufrock, that's lovely to read.

But... boiled meatballs??? Am intrigued by that!

Hackfleischbaellchen? (really need Umlauts)
Abendbrot is great - wish my dc wouldn't say, "Are we having Abendbrot or a proper supper?"Ungrateful toads.

Yes, but boiled?

oh glad so many people also like things from germany
Group-hug sounds fab
Btw, I am not so much opposed that children over here start school so much earlier, just it shouldn't be full time until they are a bit older, imo!
If we had the chance to go back to Germany I would love to do that, but it's not gonna happen, so no point wasting time wishing it, eh!
However, if, for whatever reason we would go back to germany, I know there is also plenty of things that are Brittish that I would miss
Would love a german speaking thread btw!

Oh and you mean Zimtsterne yum!
Although I love my german Gingerbread...hm...luckily you can get that in Lidls over here
Must say, I do miss the pre-x-mas time in germany the most...what with the X-mas markets and just everything Advent...so special...I try to recreate some, the Sunday advent afternoons wiht candles and homemade x-massy bikkies, etc...but tis not the same over here

Boiled meatballs

Make balls of mince/onions etc, drop into boiling stock for 10 minutes. Remove meatballs. Make roux, add stock that meatballs were boiled in. Reduce. Add cream, capers, but meatballs back, simmer, serve with rice.

So much easier to do with kids than Italian style of frying the raw balls - no spitting fat

3bunnies, Xmas is one of the things we get on v. well over - even though I'm not German at all we've always had advent candles and made a big thing of the run up so it was nice to findsomebody esle who did od, and for proper traditional reasons rather than just my childlike enthusiasm for the whole thing

oh now I see - Koenigsberger Klopse!

yes Koenigsbergert Kloepse...gosh, i did those once, when I went to "Pudding academy"...not my favourite, I must say, lol!