Frühlingserwachen - spring finally seems to have arrived in Germany and Austria...

[LinzerTorte]

... or at least I hope so.

For everyone in Germany and Austria, and anyone else who would like to chat!

Hi everyone, hope you all had good weekend. We went for another drive this weekend and found out dd gets car sick on the super windy mtn roads.

Have felt the baby move a number of times now since Friday :)

Taking a bit of a break from MN and FB so I can work on things at home with me, dd, etc. I might check in and and just leave a little blurb just to let you know I'm still alive, but I need to concentrate on me and things here for a bit (and leave the internet off so I don't get sucked in/ waste all my time on when I should be doing other things).
xx

Hope you get things sorted bebe and you are happy with the OB care you get. Glad you can feel the baby move now!

The lego exhibition sounds like fun and I hope you enjoy Marks & Spencer Bratislava! I wish the snow would just go away now!

Oh yes, tell us what you got in Bratislava Linzer! Hope those quizzes helped. They're quite good as you'll get a sequence of 20 or more questions and if you get one wrong the question comes up again until you get it right. Both my 2 dc have matsh tests today so hope for thebest (the last ones were terrible so hope they make up a few points today!)

Bebe, well done, if you can keep off FB and MN you have great will power! Hope you're feeling better.

Well I bought Marmite atlast this weekend - from the asian strore mile saway, but dd wante da coconut for a project so we went there. Got home and found that the marmite was past it's sell by date. So that was 4,50? wasted. Then looke dat the big 5kg bag of special bread flour that I bought there, and it wa salso past date (was Sep. 2010) so hopefully when dd cracks her coconut it will atleast be fresh.

Usually I check everything I buy at the Asian store because they don't follow shelf and sell by dates at all but for some reason this time I didn't bother. Westvan, now we got our hopes up for marmite so I have to get some at the English shop in town. Are you busy this week? We could go for a wander down the Linster Meile maybe!

It's a lovely sunny morning here, which makes a nice change (I'm sure I saw a few snowflakes fall at the weekend) - hope your snow disappears soon, Jenny.

bebe I would get so much more done if I had the willpower to stay off FB and MN! Please pop in and keep us updated on how you are from time to time, though.

admylin Could you still use the marmite and flour if they don't look/smell off? I have lots of things in my cupboards past their best-before dates and they're still OK to use, although I do get rid of things that are ridiculously out of date when I'm in a ruthless decluttering mood!

Hope your DC's maths tests go well today. DD2 has to recite a poem off by heart one day this week (she can decide on the day) and I've been trying to persuade her to volunteer today. She can recite it without any problems but was getting quite worried on Friday night, saying that she didn't want to stand up in front of the class on her own, so it would be good if she could get it out of the way today.

I didn't manage to find any clothes for either myself (they all looked very frumpy) or the DC (nothing reduced at all) at M&S, but did stock up on food. We got lots of packets of custard creams (the DC's favourite biscuits) as they were only 50 cents, lots of Indian food as it was all 20% off, plus crisps, baking ingredients, etc. I looked at the Easter eggs, but decided in the end that the DC would be getting so many sweets and so much other chocolate that they probably wouldn't appreciate an expensive M&S egg (although I did almost buy one for DH).

Yes, I was thinking about still using the flour - it's to make chapati for Indian food. But the marmite is too dangerous for me - I ended up in hospital once by eating old marmite by accident. My whole body came out in a rash and the doctor said if it went up like that in my air pipes I could suffocate so she kept me in hospital! Since then I've bene very wary of things like that.

Shame about M&S isn't it - I have the chance to order online from UK but I can't find anything for me or the dc really. Dh can order all his stuff there as it's his style.

The schooling is very good here and in Austria isn't it? I don't think I went into such depth about history and geography as my dc are now. Ds is in year 7 and he's doing biology and chemistry that I'm sure was in our O'leval course. He's having to calculate how many calories in a given amount of food to determine how much a meal would be so with 50g of this and 230g of that. In biology dd is doing in depth plant study! The Romans (dd is also doing Romans now) is another thing, they have to know and be able to explain the methods of governing, how the power was spread out and dates and places, names of the parts of the Roman empire etc.

DH was the only one who bought any clothes yesterday - mind you, he always manages to find something and I'm not sure he ever buys clothes anywhere other than M&S!

I never realised that eating old marmite could be so dangerous. I occasionally use it in cooking but am not keen on the taste otherwise so never eat it on its own (on toast etc. I mean).

Yes, children definitely seem to learn more here than they would in the UK - more in-depth, anyway. The only thing I remember learning about the Romans at school was the story of Romulus and Remus, so I'm learning alongside DD1. I often wish I knew more about history, but I don't remember learning any pre-20th century history other than the industrial revolution and the Rebecca Riots!

admylin - I was going to say after reading your first post that I`m sure the marmite will be o.k., but having read your second post definitely not. I´m going to have to now check our marmite - it´s been open for ages.

Linzer- I´m always very about your M&S visits. I´d completely forgotten about custard creams, but used to love them as a child.

Ds has got his Schularztuntersuchung today. I´ve sent dh as the Arzt is so horrible and a lot of the parents who went last week ended up in tears after their visits. Dh is certainly a lot more assertive than me, so hopefully there shouldn´t be any problems.

Well done for sending dh then hupa! Did the other parents say what it was that upset them? Or was it the dc who were in tears? My dd cried at her Sculuntersuchung but the uselss woman still gave the go ahead for starting school. If I could go back in time I would have kept her back as I was putting her in school as a kann Kind not a muss Kind.

Linzer I loved history at school but I only remember doing alot about 1066 and then in depth stuff about the 2 world wars but that was it! I'm sure we did morebut I'm enjoying learning it with dd. Ds is on the crusades at the moment so enjoying that too although ds isn't into it really, he's a science boy like his dad!

Do children have to have the Schularztuntersuchung before they start school then? I initially thought you were talking about the annual medical check-up at school hupa and was wondering why parents would go along too. We don't have anything like that here; it sounds quite scary, anyway!

I've just checked the expiry date on my marmite - August 2010! I'm always eating things that are well past their expiry date and have never had any problems (the fact that I don't eat meat probably helps), but maybe I need to be more careful in future. I wonder why marmite would cause such an extreme reaction.

DH thinks that learning about the Romans is a bit advanced for the third year of primary school, but I suppose it depends on how much detail the teacher goes into. The class is doing a project on our town this year, which goes back to Roman times and still has some Roman ruins nearby, which is probably the main reason they're learning about them.

Right, back to the present day and bilingualism in Canada!

Not sure Linzer but dh said it has something to do with it being yeast. Not that his explanation helped much but he said you have to be careful with yeast products...I have a feeling that the marmite that gave me the alergic reaction was quite abit more out of date than half a year.

How do you manage when you cook meat for the dc or dh Linzer? Sometimes I cook something for the family and find it smells or looks so disgusting (ie bolognese or mince dishes, lamb especially yuck) but they love it. I keep saying how can I give my dc this!

Linzer - it´s a doctor´s visit they have before starting school
It was generally the parents in tears. He´s so opinionated, lacking in empathy and down right rude. Dh has to deal with a lot of the fallout as he is the Hausarzt of quite a few of the children. They´re still not back yet. We bribed ds to do his best by promising him a spaghetti ice and he can play on the Wii (usually only allowed at weekends).

admylin - I´m too to reveal exactly how out of date my marmite was, but just to say it is now in the bin.

Better safe than sorry hupa. It was a really bad alergic reaction. Still, didn't put me off the stuff so I have to try and get some this week. Poor ds was so looking forward to his toast with marmite too.

But do you reckon the flour should be OK? Can you get mould in flour?

I just force myself to get on with it, admylin! I don't mind the smell of chicken or uncooked mince, but the smell gets progressively worse as the mince cooks, I find. I also have problems chopping raw chicken but try not to think about it too much (my dead bird phobia doesn't exactly help, either). I hardly ever used to cook meat for the DC but DD1 is quite pale and anaemic-looking and eats very little cheese or other sources of protein otherwise, and DS is only interested in eating sweets, so I decided I had to bite the bullet!

hupa Hope your DS got on OK and wasn't too traumatised by the whole experience. I would definitely have sent DH in your shoes.

I would probably use the flour if it looks and smells OK (you could even taste a bit just to check it hasn't gone rancid). The only time I've thrown away flour is when it got infested with weevils, but you'd see those quite easily. If it's only six months out of date, I think it should probably still be OK - I'm sure I've used flour that was over a year past its use-by date.

Ad - I just emailed you! That's really scary about the allergic reaction. Do you think they'd give you your money back on this jar of Marmite or is it not really worth the bother? We'll have to check everything carefully at the English store.

Back to sorting the socks!

Just found this thread on mumsnet

Allergy to Marmite

Gosh. Who knew?

Hold on a minute! I just checked the Bird's Custard Powder and the mustard powder I have from the British shop in Hannover and they're both expired! June and August 2010. But I can't remember when I bought them, can you, Ad?

Westvan, no I can't remember either but those products should have a really long shelf life so should still be good. Dh also said, the turnover won't be that great in the English shop so to check everything. Maybe it is better to order online and pay the 5 euro delivery. I suppose I can also go without, it's not the end of the world if we don't have marmite!

The alergic reactions described on that thread sound exactly like the one I had. I read your mail, should we meet on Wednesday? Dd could have her last 2 lessons cancelled but she can manage to let herself in anyway if she's home before me.

Wednesday would be great! What time is good for you? In the shopping center as usual? It's been pretty chilly lately, we don't want to freeze.

I'm not worried about the custard or the mustard (ha ha) and have been using them, but it never occured to me to check the date. Yes, it makes sense that the British shop also wouldn't have a high turnover. Sounds like the Marmite allergy was some kind of elevated histamine thing. Makes me itchy just thinking about it.

admylin - wow i didnt know you could have such a reaction to marmite - i am in the "i hate marmite" camp so not so worried about it!! but i'm another one for using things that are out of date!!

hupa - how did your ds get on? the Arzt sounds weirdly unpleasant - is he the Kinderarzt? Ds1 has his Schuleinschreibung tomorrow - all starting to feel real now! dd didnt start school in the 1st Klass here so its all new to us!

Linzer - think we all have the same dh's!! mine would also be happy to shop for clothes there!! hope you enjoy the indian food!

Bebe - hope everything works out ok!! could never do a FB ban to myself!!

So dd has gone off to the Schullandheim today! didnt think i would feel worried - she's often away for a week with my IL's but i felt weirdly anxious about the whole thing! I know she'll have a good time and she'll not be homesick so i'm not worried in that way about her but am trying to keep irrational thoughts about bus crashes out my head - there were no seat belts in the coach which is where these thoughts come from!! will try to remain calm till she comes back on fri!!!

But having some trouble with ds2 - he can sometimes be aggressive with other dc - the kiga said it was better but the bus driver man just laid into me about how much trouble ds2 was! was quite taken aback by how he spoke to me but just dont knwo what else to do with ds2!

Have tried everything - have rewarded him for good behaviour, he has consequences for hitting - ie he doesnt get to play the wii or DS for a set period, have talked to him about how proud it makes us when he doesnt hit anyone and how disappointed we are when he does. Some of it comes from how his big brother is with him - ds1 is a real gentle giant but has a proper temper sometimes with ds2. So we made a deal with them that no-one was to hit anyone else. Its working with ds1 but ds2 is just not getting it. I do know he's trouble sometimes (often wonder where he came from - the other 2 are totally different characters) but most of the time he's really fun if a bit energetic!!

off to do a search for threads on here to give me some advice!! but any other advice welcome!

admylin I hate it when there is something wrong with a relatively low priced item bought a distance away - DH always feels I should take it back on principle but I never think it's worth it. That allergic reaction sounds scary! I went through my freezer this morning and threw out all the out of date stuff, but I think it took pregnancy to inspire me to do that, and to start to re-stock it with back up basics in advance of baby arriving.

Linzer I am of being able to stock up on Indian food! Our nearest Indian restaurant is about 35 mins drive away - I love Indian food but we don't have it that often as it's a bit of a trek, and it's a category of food I never seem to cook quite right from scratch - never hits the spot! The right spices are hard to source locally too, which doesn't help.

Hupa that Kinderartz sounds horrible! Mine don't much like ours but he haws never reduced them to tears, just isn't a very child friendly man and doesn't have a "way" with kids - tends to talk over their heads to the parent (why is he a Kinderartz I do wonder) they much prefer the house artz who is great at making child friendly small talk and seeming to be genuinely interested in them, whilst really distracting them from focussing on a vaccination or whatever!

My DD had her Gesundheitsuntersuchung a couple of months ago - the tester came into KiGa and I had to sign up for a slot, be there with her, take a survey I had been given to complete in advance and her yellow book (and her red book from the UK) etc. and she did some tests and asked DD questions for half an hour or so and pronounced DD "top fit" and laughed at me when I asked if I should keep DD back because she's little (in height) as well as being Sept born - is the Schularztuntersuchung something else? DD (and all the Vorschule Kinder) had also had a hearing test a week prior to this with the same lady, which I didn't have to be there for. I asked her KiGa teacher what else happens before she starts school and when the cut off date is for me to change my mind about her starting, she said all parents and children will be invited to meet the first class teacher at some point, but no mention was made of any further test with a doctor. The lady who did the Gesundheitsuntersuching wasn't actually a doctor, just a tester I am pretty sure... She gave me a certificate thing which I will apparently be asked to pass on to the school at some point... Maybe this is different in different areas?? I assume I am not missing something I should have taken DD to? She has had all her U check ups obviously and all the "professionals" keep telling me to send her to school... I am confused by the different names thrown around and unfamiliar system!

Canella that is a tricky situation with DS2, I am afraid i have no good advice except the obvious things you are already doing. At least as your other 2 are different you don't have to doubt your parenting style and know it is just his character, but I hope for your sake he grows out of lashing out very soon! Does he get the bus to KiGa then? Is a Schullandheim what it sounds like? A place in the countryside that the school owns and uses for trips? How old is DD? I worry about the bus when DD goes on KiGa day trips too, although she assures me there are lap belts at least... still it is a worry until they are safely back! The Vorschule Kinder have a 3 night trip away with KiGa in May and I am already secretly quite stressed about the idea - she is only 5, argh! She also stays away over night and sometimes even up to 3 nights at the in-laws sometimes but it is just not the same! She originally said she didn't want to go but is coming around to the idea - I won't make her but think really it is best if she decides to go as it is a bonding thing for the Vorschule Kinder, all her freinds will be going and she will feel left out for ages after if she doesn't go and they are all talking about it later... and I am hiding my own worries about it as they are largely illogical! I bet I will be in pieces when she does go though, especially as I'll probably be all hormonal as the new baby will only be a few weeks old!

2and1 - I think what ds had today is the same thing your dd went through a couple of months ago. The timing probably just varies from place to place.

Anyway the bribery worked and ds cooperated really well and the doctor was fine, so ds will be starting school in August. Mind you I spoke to someone who was there later in the day who said the doctor was really unfriendly.

Thanks for all the help about blu tac - I managed to buy patafix at the weekend and now all of dd`s masterpieces are proudly displayed in her room.

Canella - I meant to ask is it ds who starts the trouble or is he just reacting to being wound up by the other chidren? Not that I´ve really got any ideas, but different stategies would probably be needed for each situation. Hope your dd has a lovely time. Is she allowed to phone you during the week?

2and1 - 3 nights away for Vorschukinder does sound like a long time. Ds only has 1 night and that is in Kindergarten, so literally 5 minutes down the road. I´d still let him go if it was 3 nights, but know I would have similar worries to you.

Canella Hope you're managing to remain calm! I know I'll worry too when the DC start going away on school trips; I always worry when DH takes the DC to my ILs for the weekend and am very relieved when he phones to say they've arrived safely.

I know how you feel wrt the situation with your DS, as DS can also be quite aggressive with other children in a way that the other two never have been (but like 2and1 says, at least you don't need to worry that it's you who's doing something wrong). We had some problems with him pinching other children at kindergarten last year, which thankfully seems to have sorted itself now - we decided to introduce a sticker chart and he got a sticker for good behaviour (i.e. not hitting/pinching/biting other children), but it was quite difficult to implement as his Kiga teacher often wasn't there to ask about his behaviour when I picked him up. He can still be quite rough when he has friends round to play, and I usually have to send him to his room for hitting - but he does find it quite upsetting and doesn't usually hit again (that day, at any rate!). That's obviously not something you can do if he's misbehaving when you're not around, though. Some of the other posters on another thread I'm on said that their DC had gone through similar phases and had come out the other side, which I found very reassuring. It really sounds like you've tried everything, so obviously he knows it's unacceptable - I think you just have to keep on reinforcing that message and hang on in there as it apparently does get better eventually!

2and1 Kiga children do seem very young to have three nights away; I'm not sure when the trips away start here, but DD1 is in her third year of primary school and - apart from a Lesenacht when the whole class slept in the school - hasn't been away yet. The Vorschulkinder at our Kiga go on a trip in the last week, but it's just for the morning and usually into Vienna somewhere - DD1 went to the Hundertwasser-Haus and DD2 to the Haus des Meeres.

hupa Glad to hear the Schularztuntersuchung went well and that you've managed to find a blu tack equivalent!