Sommer, Strand und Sonne - life in Germany and Austria

[LinzerTorte]

A thread for all those living in Germany or Austria, and for anyone else who would like to chat.

Finally have the chance to catch up with you all - we got back from Italy on Tuesday evening but I was busy with work all day yesterday and didn't get to bed until midnight. Luckily DH was still off work so was around to look after the DC. The holiday was great; very relaxing and perfect weather (well, slightly too hot for me so I took refuge in the shade with my book a lot of the time while the DC splashed about in the water).

Ooh, a thread meet-up, how exciting! You will def. have to report back silken (and/or Canella). The Austrian MNers I've met seem to disappear from the thread once I've met them!

silken DD2 more or less taught herself to read and write; I used to have to photocopy DD1's homework for her so that she could sit and do it at the same time. I would sit with her and help her to read simple books (in English and German, as DH wasn't really bothered - he would put all his effort into helping DD1 with her schoolwork), but didn't really teach her as such. Most people here were slightly about the fact that she could read before she started school and we had quite a few comments suggesting that she would be bored at school, but that hasn't been the case at all (it's not as if they sit reading "the cat sat on the mat"-style sentences all morning).

I'm def. going to encourage DS to learn to read before he starts school; he loves looking at books and can recognise letters and some words, but is way behind where DD2 was at the same age. Not that that matters of course; he still has another year to go at KiGa, but I don't think it will hurt if he has a head start. I certainly wouldn't push him if he wasn't interested - DD1 wasn't, and really struggled throughout her first year so in some ways I wish I'd made more of an effort with her. OTOH I know her problems are due to her dyslexia more than the fact that she wasn't reading before she started school - hardly any children do, and most don't have problems.

We also had a BabyBjorn and I loved it, although I agree that they can be uncomfortable to wear once the baby gets heavier; I had to stop using ours at around 5/6 months. It was great in the early days though, and so much easier than using a pushchair (although they have their uses - particularly for putting shopping in!).

Rain here too, but I forced myself to go out for a run this morning and feel much better for it. I finished Couch to 5k while we were in Italy so am now working towards running 5k in 30 minutes (managed just under 32 minutes this morning, so am getting there slowly!).

42 weeks, 5more?! You must have been more than a little fed up by then! Another 7 weeks is my goal, anything over that I see as a bonus (although obviously 40 would be ideal if that's the way it works out).
Thanks for the info about the BabyBjorn - I didn't realise that about the sitting position. I went for that one as I thought the way the legs are spread was supposed to be good for the hips or something. It's only really for the shops etc for the first 6 months or so, I hadn't really planned on using it for much longer than that. I did like the idea of the fabric wrap ones like you and Silken suggested - but aren't they a nightmare to put on one-handed whilst juggling a baby?

Canella and Silken - enjoy your cake! I love the idea of a MN meet-up, but think it's very unlikely that we would ever all be in the same place at the same time. Plus I'd have the fear that I would scare everyone off, like Linzer thinks she has :o

Linzer - your holiday sounds fab! Well done on finishing the C25K too.

Our ante-natal class is tonight and we're off to Aachen tomorrow night for a birthday - actual socialising, with actual people, yay!

Later it does take a bit of practice at first, but I was never in danger of dropping the baby while putting the sling on. You have to hang it round yourself first, then pick up the baby and slot it in, so it's partly supported by the sling while you grab each end one-handed and finish wrapping. You have to let go at the end to tie the knot behind your back, but the baby is completely safe by then.

I would buy another sling, though, if I ever get around to having no.2. Possibly a Manduca or a Wilkinet, as these both mimic the wrap sling, but are not 5.2m long! I'm sure I would still be carrying DD in a sling occasionally if I had one that was easy to put on your back.

Linzer I could read by my 3rd birthday, so it does seem odd that most children start school unable to read at age 6 here. I don't want to put pressure on DD to learn early, but I will be giving her alphabet toys to play with and showing her words in books as I read to her. She greatly amused my mum recently by drawing a squiggle and saying "that says [DD name]" and then doing a longer squiggle - "that says Hairy Maclary"!

Later Hope you enjoy your trip to Aachen; I've almost forgotten what it's like to socialise with other people in the evening!

Well, I hope platanos is just busy at work rather than being scared off by me - but you never know. And I do still see/e-mail Cinders - but it would be nice to have someone else in Austria on the thread to complain about Austrians to. I am meeting up with an English friend this afternoon, however, so shall just have to do so with her instead.

Yes, I was reading at 3 as well silken - and my mum says she didn't teach me, just read lots of books to me (she suffered from bad morning sickness when she was pregnant with my brother, so we used to sit all day reading apparently - although she had to throw some of the books away afterwards as they reminded her of feeling nauseous!).

Only one other boy in DD2's class could read when they started school (apparently he learnt to read alongside his older sister as well); I also find it surprising that so few children can read considering that some are almost 7. There's no way I could have stopped DD2 learning to read (although I must admit I did encourage her to read German too) but everyone seemed to think she was some kind of genius as she was reading and writing at 4. I kept saying that it would be quite normal in the UK!

Silken How does that work if you're in a cafe or somewhere? How do you stop the baby wriggling off the chair while you tie the sling? (It is slowly dawning on me how absolutely clueless I am!) Otherwise that sort of sling sounds really handy.

It is strange how reading and writing age differs depending on the country. I could read before I was three too, but when I asked whether DH's niece could read a few words a while ago (she must have been about 4) DH's family reacted as if I had asked whether she could perform brain surgery. She will be 6 in November and can read and write her name, but she isn't starting school for another year and SIL thinks it's the teacher's job to teach her to read, which as far as I can tell is the prevailing attitude here.

I don't particularly think one approach is better than the other, I think it depends on the child and that he/she will learn when ready. I just remember the horror on their faces that a child might be able to read before the age of 7 - it really stuck with me for some reason. I have banned DH from mentioning that I could read at 2 in their presence! (My brother on the other hand was considered a late reader as he 'only' learned at 4!)

I'm not sure you can put a Baby Bjorn on without putting the baby down, either. I didn't use my sling much out of the house, but mainly because I needed the pram to put shopping in. I guess you would usually be with a friend in a cafe and they could hold the baby while you put the sling on.

I could read before starting school and dd could read happily by the end if reception but ds1 (starting school this sept nearly 7) struggles terribly with it. I started 2 summers ago to teach him to read in English but it was a nightmare - he just constantly forgot the phonics. And he hates every second of doing it now. so he'll be starting school, one of the oldest but only at a very basic level. Dh has done a bit with him in German and he finds that easier - the rules are more clear arent they. So i'm hoping he can just carry on to learn in German and the English reading will come later. Ds2 on the other hand is desperate to spell out words and learn to read them. They are all so different.

Glad you had a good holiday Linzer. Sounded so relaxing!

Thanks Silken. That makes sense :)

Must stop worrying about every tiny detail!! I keep annoying poor DH with questions and worries about really tiny, insignificant things which probably won't even be an issue for a long time yet. I definitely have too much time on my hands at the moment.

Linzer Whereabouts in Italy were you, if you don't mind me asking?

Later We went to the upper Adriatic coast, spending the first week in Bibione (not the most attractive of towns, but a lovely if very busy beach and a nice swimming pool in the apartment complex where we stayed) and then three days in Caorle (lovely old town) about half an hour away. Caorle is a popular destination for people from our town; our stay there overlapped with that of three other families we know, although we didn't bump into any of them!

Canella I tried teaching DD1 to read using Jolly Phonics, but it just didn't seem to go in; DD2 learnt to read by recognising the words on sight rather than sounding out the letters so that's the approach I'm concentrating on with DS as well (although I do try to get him to sound out words if he doesn't know what they are). It was only in her second/third year of school that DD1 started to enjoy reading, although she only ever reads in German. I'd like her to read more English as her English spelling is atrocious, but tbh she struggles enough at school as it is so we're focusing on the German more at the moment.

It's quiet on here today. I wonder if Canella and silken are gossiping about us all.

Just enjoying my last half-hour of freedom, as it's the last day of KiGa and of the Sport- und Spielwoche today. Discovered with horror yesterday that my diary for next week is completely blank. Have arranged to meet up with a friend on Thursday afternoon but think I may need to organise one or two more things (even if it's just trips to the playground) if I want to survive the week with my sanity intact.

Ooh maybe they are - I hope they report back :o

Good luck with your planning for next week. Maybe the weather will perk up again and you can fit in a few trips to the Freibad (if it's not too rammed, thinking about it, the summer holidays are probably the worst time!)

Not much gossiping about MN people, but we were both very relieved to find out that the other was a real person and not a 60 year old man planning a kidnap. Anyway, I had taken DD with me as protection, so she entertained/distracted us and made me steal some grapes .

Indian restaurant next time, perhaps, Canella?

Welcome back linzer, hope you had a relaxing time. Did you get any authentic Italian meals out? When I go abroad I love going round the local supermarket to see all the different food on offer.

How far apart are you canella and silken? MN is great, where ever you live you find someone not too far away!

Have been running around getting jobs done today, appomtment with lawyer - he's ill (man flu by the look of it) but wrote down a few points about the car and said he'd sort it out and the money should be sent soon. I somehow don't think so!

Picked the Gutachten up for dd's dyslexia so we can atlast apply for the therapy. Had to phone them 5 times, getting abit unfriendlier each time as they've had since April to wrtite it andc only finished it yesterday because I phoned again. Linzer, do you pay for your dd's lessons? Here the Jugendamt will pay up to 42? an hour but woman said some charge more then you have to pay yourself.

Now, late to feed the dc but better get them sorted then back out to photo copy and post the Antrag for therapy. Why did I not buy ink for my printer?!

Canella sorry for mixing names up, blame fuzzy baby brain!

Later I never had a problem putting DS1 into a wrap except for the ends trailing on the wet floor, if you take baby out somewhere where you can't put them down there is the option of slipping baby out without untying the sling, or only partially untying it, but I don't actually recall taking him out anywhere I had no option of anywhere to put him down or anyone to hold him, at least not often...

The sling I have now is like a square of thick material withpadded straps coming from the top 2 corners - this is no prob to put on without putting baby down - you lean back slightly with baby on your chest, put the material over baby and straps over your shoulders, hold baby and sling with one hand and arm while bringing the straps around, under baby'S bottom and legs, swap arms, do the other, then tie - sounds odd maybe but it is easy - I was lucky that the friend who gave it to me showed me how the first time. I use the sling every time I go shopping somewhere without baby trollies (I am sure all supermarkets have them, and 2 child trollies, in the UK - here I always had to use sling in supermarkets with DS1 or let DD, who was only just 2, walk).

DD is better - she only has 5 days left at KiGa ever now! She could also write a bit at 3 but hasn't progressed loads - she can read simple Oxford Reading Tree books and loves to write (phonetic spelling mostly) but I have very deliberately stuck to English only and said she will learn German at school - partly due to my German not being good enough, partly due to the bored at school argument. She will be the very youngest child in her school year so I think a little head start from having a basic level of literacy in English will do no harm.

DS1 who is nearly 4 was totally uninterested in reading and writing til recently, though he has been able to pick his and his sisters names out from lists of names for ages, but suddenly the other day he started writing/ scratching letters and numbers on the ground with a stone and telling me what they were (correctly) so I guess they all learn in different ways and at their own pace!

Certainly once the non reading kids start school here they seem to get "up to speed" much faster than the average UK child who starts at 4, so I think waiting if they are not interested does no harm.

Argh I am deliberately in another room from big kids with baby as baby was grumpy and needing to sleep - he went straight to sleep with me sitting by him in the time it took to write the message above, loked ever so cute smiling in his sleep... then the big ones (who I had left drawing and watching a DVD in the next room) had to both come through and wake him argh! I wouldn't mind but he needs to sleep and has got to the age where he doesn't just drop off but gets super grumpy if tired.

Grr 5more - its so difficult to keep the house quiet for a baby with other dc in the house. Hope he managed to nap later.

I agree Silken - was very glad you werent a man thinking of kidnapping me. Was weirdly nervous before we met - Silken was the first MNetter i'd ever met but glad it went well. Indian sounds good next time!

Admylin - we live about 40 mins apart - not really close but handy enough to get together.

Off to get DS1 sorted - its his übernachtung in kiga tonight - i'd be happy to just drop him off - he's slept iften enough at his GP's but some other dc are more anxious so we have to stay and eat and after 2 hours we can leave! He's over excited about the whole thing.

Hope you all have a good weekend

Hi all, how is everyone. We're so busy in the run up to the end of term - 1 more week to go. weather here mad, so changeable, boiling hot, then cold, then pouring down, then steamy.

boys could really do with a break. How did the meeting go canella. WHere did you meet up?

Just found out I've got a lovely new neighbour who fitted a big, complicated dining room light, mirror with lighting in the bathroom and curtain rails in the sitting room, and after much persuading would only accept 20 euros! He must've done about 5 hours work. It would've cost a fortune to get someone in. Dh would've had a nervous breakdown trying to do it, and his drill not so good for tackling concrete ceilings, so really chuffed got proper light up, and soon to have curtains in the sitting room! We moved in in September, so shouldn't rush these things....

Hi ernest, sounds good to have a friendly neighbour like that! I bet you are all ready for a break, the run up to end of term is exhausting. my 2 were really ready for it too. How did ds's trip go? Did he enjoy it?

Ds is being very hard work today. He has no interest in anything, even bribary doesn't work at the moment. How do you get a 13 year old to get up of his backside and do something? Can't complain too much as atleast he's reading but he's still in his pyjamas and has had no intention of getting dressed at all today. Dd has just created and made an amazing chocolate cake so off to try a piece.

dunno re dressing, haven't reached the 13 yr old stage yet. I would like to think up and dressed by 11 would be cast in stone, but kids have a way of blowing all your plans and ideals out of the water. We will be out and about so much during the summer I don't think I'll have a problem. ds1 is currently obsessed with skateboarding, and wants a new one for his birthday, so I think the time we are at home will be spent either on the trampoline or on his skateboard.

Kick him outside! Actually, for the 1st time in literally years, ds1 has got up on a Saturday at 6.30! We have had huge problems with his insomnia for years. He told me this morning he reckons it's the trampoline. He's jumping on it constantly, tiring himself out and getting to sleep really quick. He would lie in bed for hours not being able to drop off, but told me this morning he hasn't seen 11pm for ages. That's a relief. Whether it's the trampoline, skateboarding or just a phase, great that he's sleeping so well at last.

One more week of school!

Dd sounds like she's coming down with something - nasty cough developing. Hope it doesn't get too bad and clears soon.

Can't wait for my dd to be rustling up yummy cakes for me

hello all, especially Linzer. No, you did not scare me off!!! On the contrary, I would enjoy meeting up with you again. It's just finding the time....

Life has been busy...with work and also with family matters. I have been to Spain twice in the last 2 weeks, first to see my father who was very ill and then because he passed away. It's really tough being away from my mother at this stage. She has support but I would just like to be there. Instead life goes on here, and it feels strange.

I'll catch up properly soon but just wanted to say hello. Are you around in August Linzer? I have some time off, and maybe shorter working days too (I have been working long days so I could go to spain) so maybe we could meet up again?

So sorry to hear about your father, platanos. Was his illness sudden? I can imagine how hard it must be to be in a different country to your family at this time. ((hugs))

Oh platanos - so so sorry to hear about your father - it would be a difficult time anyway but then for it all to be a plane ride away makes it worse. would your mum come to Austria to stay for a while? Big un MN hug (((((())))))

Wonder if jenny is suffering with the heatwave? Wouldnt be easy with small dc.

Ds1 loved his sleepover but think he's only slept for 6 hours!!!!! Will be an early night for him tonight. i'm aiming to not cook the whole weekend - we're off to the Grillmeisterschaft today and then tomorrow who knows - its my birthday tomorrow and i refuse to cook! And since dh cant cook and we have no oven for him to stick pizzas in then it'll have to be eating out!

Sorry to hear about your father platanos. It's so hard being far away.

Canella, that's going to be a night your ds will remember, sounds like he had a lot of fun!

Ernest, that'd be great if I could get ds out of the house to do some sporty stuff. I hate this flat for that reason, no garden and it's in a long street with dog poo infested pavements so neither of my dc will go out to play, playgrounds around here are just sand pits and swings. There is a lovely forest at the end of the street but they just look at me as if I'm mad when I suggest going for a walk in there.

Ds would like a table to play table tennis, they would both play but no room, no where to put a trampoline etc.

5moreminutes, hope the baby gets abit more sleep. I was lucky with my 2 when they were small noise didn't seem to bother them and when they were toddlers we lived in a student village with all night parties going on in the surrounding houses and they just slept through it all!

Very sorry to hear about your father, platanos. It is so hard being so far away at such times isn't it?

Just heard about Amy Winehouse too, and all those in Norway, i'm guessing most of them were kids. Grim.

So sorry to hear about your dad, platanos; I remember you saying you were going over to see him. Does your mum have family in Spain? Re meeting up, we'll be back in Wales for the first few weeks in August but will be here from 20th-30th Aug. so it would be lovely to see you then if you have time. I'll PM you. We really need to get our anti-sweet campaign off the ground btw! Took DD2 to the doctor's yesterday, who gave both the girls a lollipop, and they got yet more sweets at the chemist's when we went to pick up her prescription. It was the usual sweetfest at my ILs today too.

Later Yes, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the weather will improve next week. Unfortunately the forecast for tomorrow isn't great - 19° and rainy - and we're having DS's birthday party in the afternoon, so it looks like we'll be stuck indoors.

admylin We did eat out quite a few times while we were on holiday, but I can't get quite as excited about Italian food as Indian, for example. At least it's fairly veggie-friendly, although I must admit I was getting fed up with pizza by the end of the first week and switched over to pasta!
Glad you got the Gutachten in the end, although it sounded like quite a struggle. We pay ?35 an hour for DD1's lessons (going up to ?38 in the autumn) and don't get any help with it, although we've just found out that it will be tax-deductible from next year.

5more It's so difficult trying to keep older children quiet when the baby's sleeping, isn't it? When DS was a baby he would only feed in the dark and in complete peace and quiet, which could be a little tricky with a 2 and 4 year old around constantly demanding my attention.

Canella Glad the sleepover went well; hope you managed to get your DS off to bed early tonight! Glad the meet-up with silken went well too; of you going for an Indian next time!

Ernest Sounds like you have a very useful neighbour! Yes, the events in Norway are just awful - felt quite shocked (although not surprised) when I heard about Amy Winehouse too.