Lieber Frühling, komm doch bald. A new Kaffeeklatsch thread for Spring - living in Austria and Germany

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All welcome - whether you're living in Germany or Austria, have questions about life in those countries or just want to chat.

Previous thread here

admylin you asked if I had traditional Easter food... I don't know what traditional Easter food is in Germany... Or the uk. We never made a big fuss about Easter, mostly just enjoyed a long weekend

Nutella Traditional Easter food in the UK is Easter eggs, isn't it? I've no idea what traditional Easter food is here either; my ILs have Easter lamb (cake in a lamb shape) for breakfast, but otherwise it's just endless sweets and chocolate from the DC's Easter baskets.
No tide marks or any kind of staining btw - it was a copper bath, so that probably disguises any stains on the bath tub.

admylin How would your DC feel about moving? I sometimes think we need to move to force us to declutter... I couldn't face the upheaval, though!

DD1 got her biology test back yesterday and got a 4 - it was quite difficult, I thought, but she also made some silly mistakes. DD2 has a Sachunterrichtstest on knights and Romans coming up next Friday and was revising at breakfast this morning... sadly only one of the sheets she has to learn is the same as DD1 had, so it doesn't look like they'll be having the same test - that would have made life easier.

Linzer shame about the history sheets being different! My 2 are doing exactly the same stuff just a year after the other so dd has all ds's old sheets and work books with answers filled in! Funny though, she doesn't want to use his stuff, she'd rather try it herself and I'm always saying she should save time and just use ds's then she can spend more time on actually learning it! Then she shakes her head and tuts and says mum you're not strict enough, an honest mum wouldn't suggest that!

We haven't really talked about moving with the dc yet. Ds is really happy where he is, settled, liked by teachers and class mates. Dd would like a new adventure I think so she wouldn't mind as much but I still feel for them if they have to join a new class in year 9 and 10. I'll probably feel worse than they would though as they've just hit the ground running every time we've moved (while I recover from breakdown)! Anyway, he's still got to do all his negotiations first.

Nutella sound slike the Easter I know too! A big line up of massive Easter eggs on the shelf and if I remember rightly a visit to some sort of sheep herding country show (country bumbkin). We also had to have a new outfit right down to the socks, everything new.

Yes, I think that sometimes children cope with moving better than the parents do! I remember being quite happy to move at the age your DC were, although I'm sure it was a huge upheaval for my parents (and I don't think they ever really settled in the new area). Uprooting the DC is the one thing that would put me off moving now (OK, one of several things!) as DD1 doesn't cope well with change and the other two are so settled where we are, have very good friends here, etc., that I would hate for them to have to start from scratch. But of course some children are much more adaptable than others.

One of my friends knew someone who'd had a child in DD1's primary school teacher's previous class and DH wanted me to ask (via my friend) if we could borrow all of this child's old school books so that we knew what to revise with DD1. On the one hand, it would have been a huge help as revising for tests with DD1 was such a nightmare, but OTOH I felt like it would have been cheating, particularly as we didn't even know this other child. I did ask but nothing came of it in the end, and I was quite relieved - although it would probably have saved a huge amount of stress.

It's very quiet in here... Hope everyone is simply busy having lots of RL fun.

admylin I hope it isn't too stressful for you and that before you do any packing or moving you are satisfied its the right thing for all of you.
DP is the one who gets very stressed about things. I try to ignore stuff until I have to do something about it which doesn't work either be more relaxed.

DS has been a bit out of sorts the last couple of days but then had an amazing sleep last night! He slept from 21:30 ish until 03:20 then woke and fed again at 4:30 I put him back in his ed about 5 and he slept until just after 8 it was fantastic!!

Wow nutella hope he keeps that up! Nothing like a good nights sleep is there?! Is he teething? I remember getting teething gel flown in from the UK, and calpol although I'm sure there were/are German versions available!

It is quiet isn't it? I think some Bundesländer still have Easter holidays maybe.
My microwave is beeping at me again, I tell you that's the first thing that is going if we have to move! My washing machince is also going, it has the nickname of killer machine when it is on as it's so loud, it sounds as it it's trying to escape from the bathroom with force.

admylin I think some of the grumpiness is teeth but he was fine through the night and has slept pretty well today too; so I'm hoping tonight goes well. I think putting him back in his bed helped. I love to be cuddled up to him but he does tend to wave his arms around and keep us both awake- when i put him in his bed I swaddle his arms.

Our washing machine is also ancient, probably closely related to yours by the sound of it! We have a super modern tumble dryer and an ancient very non fancy washing machine ah well, stuff comes out pretty clean so it'll do. Why does your microwave keep beeping? You've said about it beeping before, it sounds very odd.

Hello everyone

Nutella I am of your night's sleep after yet another terrible night with Ds2, but I hope it continues for you!

Admylin your children do sound very adaptable. I would hate to uproot my DC even now, and they are young - but I have made such a huge effort to make sure they are settled here and have so many friends - DS1, who is quite shy and used to refuse to stay at other people's houses to play has come out of his shell now and suddenly become really popular with the other boys (though he's very much a boy's boy!) and has friends ringing him all the time now just like DD. DD is on the surface very confident but she's more fragile underneath I think, and if she didn't make a big crowd of friends quite quickly I think she'd take a huge knock - when school's not going well at least she still has lots of fun playing with her friends here... DC3 is the only one I wouldn't worry about moving! Your DH has been so miserable for so long though that the move must be worth while - my DH is in IT (and willing to do pretty enormous commutes) so can change job without moving (which is a good job as he seems to feel compelled to do so every 2 years), but it must be hard for academics who have to move city if they want to change employer!

outnumbered how was the house? I don't think we'll ever buy again now, we've been in this rented house almost 6 years - though DH has said in the past he'd like us to buy a small place once the kids are all grown up!

I didn't get all the sorting done when the kids were away - its endless really - but I got the worst of it done and rid of a lot of stuff, which is good. Ds3 has his own room now (previously a toy/play/junk room), after 6 months or so of sharing with DS1 didn't seem to be working in terms of his sleep, but he is, if anything, sleeping even worse now... Guess he needs time to get used to the new set up perhaps...

We are still on Easter holiday - well, the kids go back on Monday. DD is at a sleep over now, but we are picking her up at 9 (the friend she is staying with is also an early riser - they were both up before 5am when she stayed overnight here previously) and going to Playmobile Land :) We are meeting the in-laws there (DH's idea, but I said OK even though we've seen a lot of them recently - the kids will enjoy it and I suppose it is less stressful to have more adults - though I took 4 kids there on my own last summer so I don't really buy the need for 4 adults for 3 kids!). I just wish I was doing the day out on more than 3 hours sleep - maybe I can sleep in the car ...

*I always get my DC/ DS terminology in a muddle - I don't know why, small brain clearly (I prefer to blame lack of sleep)... I only have 3 DC, no DS3, just a DS2 who is DC3, it's all too much for me, sometimes I would rather just use names and be done with it, as I am sure I am pretty identifiable anyway if anyone I knew bothered to find this thread!

mrtumbles I am impressed at all that sorting. wow. hope you have a good day at playmobile land. I think you could sneek off and have a little snooze in a corner, leaving a ratio of one adult per child.

nutella that was a nice long sleep! how was last night? mine slept much better all swaddled up too...though can't rember how long that lasted.

admylin any news from the job? It is true that, in general, children adapt better than parents. When did you last live in Berlin? Good chance to get a new microwave and washing machine if you go, and you can treat yourself to one if you decide not to go...

outnumbered lots of possible exciting new things - possible puppy and house? hope the viewing goes well today. Let us know....

Linzer bath full of wine sounds interesting...but what is it meant to be good for? Only in Austria! I am surprised there was no pumpkin seed oil in it...or would that only be allowed in Steiermark?!?

We went to the allegry dr for ds this week. all a bit confusing, as there are some fruit and veg he can't eat when the pollen he is allergic to is flying about. But should be okay for the rest of the year. I am not sure what to tell the kindergarten (and school and hort in september). I guess an outright ban is easier for them, and less risky for ds. I don't know if they can administer anti histamines, cortisone tablets or use the epipen in emergencies. I shall have to ask.

And dd1 (10.5) has started bed wetting again. sigh. I think it is the stress of the 4. klasse and the impending changes. let's see what happens.

Easter was quiet here. The dc were in kita/hort for 4 days and then I had some time off. We made it to bratislava one day - it was actually warmer than here, and we managed to have a lovely walk in the sun! saw hot cross buns in marks and spencer -is that the other traditional easter food? easter eggs and hot cross buns?!. A colleague of dh's is coming over tomorrow with some osterschinken that her mother in Kärnten prepared - she says that is typical food for Easter. Well,the children and her will eat that while dh and I have some other vegan goodies!

right, off to swimming....but first I shall copy this in case it vanishes. have a sunny, healthy, relaxing weekend! (one can hope )

platanos good that the doctor has found out what your ds is alergic to. Hope it's not too hard for him. Are there any food sorts that he realyl loves that he can't have anymore?

tumbles hope your ds settle sin his own room once he's used to it. Are oyu all sleeping on the same level/floor?

Nutella same here, my machine washes the clothes properly and even though I keep willing it to break down it just keeps on going!

Dh is getting a formal job offer with the respective details by Tuesday. Then the big question is, how does he go about telling them here and waiting to see if they come up with some better offer. His boss is capable of getting so enraged about the colleagues pinching his researcher that he could just make him an offer he can't refuse just to spite them!

admylin Good news on the formal job offer. Sounds a little tricky with your DH's current boss, though; I have no idea what to advise, as DH and I have only ever told employers that we were leaving when we actually handed in our notice and knew that we'd definitely be going.

platanos 4. Klasse is quite a stressful time, isn't it - does your DD get stressed about Schularbeiten? I'm sure they said that red wine is supposed to be good for your skin (but they probably would say that ) and added a few other things to the bath water, although no pumpkin seeds thank goodness! M&S has hot cross buns (and DH insists on buying them) all year round for some reason; we bought a few packets when we went a couple of weeks ago.

MrTumbles I'm sure that anyone who knew me in RL would instantly be able to identify me on this thread (in fact, someone I know told me she recognised me from a post on the freelance board), but I just make sure I don't post anything that I would be horrendously embarrassed by in RL. I also assume that it's highly unlikely any Austrians I know would find me on here (so do moan about my ILs a little), but I'm more cautious when it comes to English-speaking friends.

I was supposed to be working this weekend but the job didn't materialise, DH is out in the garden helping the neighbour to chop up wood from the tree (again) and the DC are all over at the neighbours' so it's blissfully quiet here at the moment. I suppose I ought to do something productive.

admylin that is good news about the formal job offer :)

plantanos that sounds stressful for your DD. I worry already about my DD as she'll only be 9 in 4th Klasse - she won't even turn 10 til she starts 5th Klasse, I so wish we'd kept her back... Too late now! I hope your DD starts to feel more settled and calmer soon:( The allergy test results also sound complicated - I guess it has to be a blanket ban with Kindergarten otherwise somebody will get mixed up and he will be fed something he shouldn't have at the wrong time. Are you also trying to educate him about what he can and can't eat and why? Quite confusing for a KiGa age child!

*Linzer hope you enjoyed your peace and didn't do too much!

SIL came to Playmobile land too - she was waiting in the car when we met MIL and FIL on the way there, so we had 5 adults and only 3 kids! A bit crazy! SIL is great with DD especially, they have a bit of a bond and SIL is only 23, so she climbs about the place with DD, which is nice. MIL hogged looked after DS2 until he got tired and grumpy because he was missing his nap and wouldn't sit in the pushchair to let himself fall asleep, then of course he was mine all mine but that's normal... To many adults is a bit too many cooks though, as the in-laws have firm ideas on such outings (for example you must do a rund outside first, it is not appropriate to do the indoor part first - although I pointed out that the indoor part is quieter in the morning and packed late afternoon, as everyone does the outside circuit first... You also don't eat or buy drinks there (waste of money, even if its our money) but I like treating the kids to a rare fizzy drink and plate of chips on the type of outing that only happens a few times a year Also i sometimes feel as though I must have been put on mute - none of the adults listen to a word I say - resulting in DS1 being marched off in the wrong direction for the toilet by FIL despite the fact I'd pointed them out (I had to run after them or he'd have had an accident as they were heading back to the ones at the entrance, not the ones 20 meters from where we were) and various other things. DS2 also gets really stressed out when people wander off, and spent a lot of the time bordering on a tantrum yelling "Oh no" Where's OMa/ Opa/ SIL's name/ DD/ DS1/ Daddy/ Mummy" or whoever he wasn't with, and the in-laws were always wandering off so we couldn't move on to the next area til we'd found them. MIL is especially bad as she is a heavy smoker so wanders off to smoke... The kids had a good time, but honestly I find taking the kids places by myself less stressful than having "help"! Back to school tomorrow... we've got to go to the in-laws yet again next weekend for FIL's birthday, they are helpful but I think we've seen rather too much of them recently!

admylin fingers crossed the written offer is a good one. Is there any point listening to his current employer's 'contra offer'? So far it hasn't sounded like they stick to their words. Although I completely and utterly understand how you must feel, thinking about starting all over again!!! I would dread that too!! At least your dc seem to cope ok with impending changes.

The house we viewed was beautiful. Sadly it doesn't have enough bedrooms people who don't know our circumstances must assume it to be totally acceptable for two children to share a bedroom. Which would be the case in that house. Or, alternatively, we would have to cut a chunk out of the living/ dining room to create a master bedroom. But that would leave not enough space for us, three active kiddies plus big dog. Also, the garden seems quite a lt smaller to what we have now and we would struggle to fit swing, sandpit, trampoline and slide in and still have plenty of room to run around. As gorgeous as the house was - and the couple is lovely, I think we will have to keep renting and hope something better will come up eventually.

Re doggies: as long as our landlord gives us his written ok in time, we really will be getting a little, very gorgeous flattie lady in two weeks time!! Fingers crossed everyone that the landlord gives his permission in time. He has no legal grounds to deny us the right to keep a dog, but of course the law doesn't give a timeframe how quickly he needs to respond to our request

How have te hols/weekend been for everyone?

Hi, I'm crashing your thread because I'd like some advice, I hope that's ok. We're currently on holiday skiing and I thought I had enough tranexamic acid with me - heavy nightmare period. Is it available over the counter in a pharmacy in Austria? Thank you.

Eastpoint Sorry, I'm really not too sure - is there a pharmacy nearby where you can check? I had a quick google and according to Wiki's German site it's rezept- und apothekenpflichtig, which means you can only get it at a pharmacy (Apotheke) and need a prescription (Rezept); I would assume that would apply here in Austria too. However, it could still be worth checking at a pharmacy just in case - plus they might be willing to give you medicine that would normally be rezeptpflichtig (it happened to me a little while ago). It's Tranexamsäure in German, if that's any help!

outnumbered What a shame about the house. We found it very difficult to get a house with enough bedrooms; even the villas here only seem to have three (admittedly huge) bedrooms at most. Exciting news about the dog; hope it all works out. What's a flattie btw? I did google, but am assuming you're not using NZ slang for flatfish!

MrTumbles Your Playmobil visit sounded a little stressful. I also know how you feel about being put on mute! Although in my case, my ILs will ask me a question and then stop listening to my answer mid-sentence; it drives me mad... DH says that their hearing isn't good (although SIL is the same and I'm sure her hearing is fine), which I can appreciate, but surely you can see that someone is still talking to you even if you don't catch what they're saying.

Lovely and sunny here today, although it was still quite chilly out when we walked to school. It's supposed be 17° on Thursday, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Thank you Linzertorte I'll give them a try later. In the UK you don't need a prescription anymore, but I just messed up. My GP is of the old fashioned variety who thinks periods are just not that much trouble, every time I visit I think I must change practice. I think a flattie a flat coated retriever btw.

Thanks again. Tchuss

Eastapoint I'd check at the pharmacy with Linzer's information, but if you need a prescription ask the pharmacist to direct you to a doctor, there should be one you can see on a drop in basis who will write you a prescription.

I wondered what a Flattie was too but forgot to ask - I was imagining one of those flat faced dogs, but a flat coated retriever sounds much nicer! :) We are possibly going to become regular dog sitters to 2 very tiny dogs, partly to appease DD's obsession with getting a dog. Not sure how it will work out as the owner seems to be at least as particular about them as anyone would be about leaving a toddler with somebody they only know slightly for several nights, but we'll see! If we do ever get our own dog it would be a medium sized breed, but dogs are hugely restrictive in terms of being able to go away on holiday/ for long days out (Playmobile Land would have been a problem for example) so its very much undecided and won't be happening especially soon!

For the first time in his entire life I had to wake 5.5 year old Ds1 for Kindergarten today. He's a really good sleeper and always has been, but he's always up before 6am. DD wanted to be taken to school rather than catch the bus, and she has a cough so didn't mind helping her avoid standing in the cold at bus stops etc. so I said OK - then at 6.30am DS1 was still asleep! So I had to wake him as we have to leave by 7.15am if we take DD. He was quite confused when he woke, having never been deliberately woken up from his bed before! I was reading the Tanya whatshername sleep advice thread and there are people on there defining children getting up at 5.30 as a sleep problem - for some reason this is the one thing these days that makes red mist descend before my eyes, and I want to slap them around the face with a wet fish and tell them that is just called having a child, its not a sleep problem! Argh. Must avoid all sleep threads because they make me cross! Although some people on there with older SN children have sleep problems that must make them feel like that about me of course!

Sorry Eastpoint I can't help at all begone what Linzer has already said. Hope you manage to enjoy your holiday perhaps eat lots of chocolate/ drink hot chocolate

Well DS has been quite settled over the weekend, I'm hoping he isn't lulling me into a false sense of security before sprouting some teeth or having another major growth spurt. It might be unlikely but if he could consistently sleep 21:30 till 3am, feed, back to sleep until almost 6, feed then sleeping till 8 I might actually start to look less tired soon
He is incredibly active. Just fought some clothes onto him. No wonder babies sleep so much, he never stops! When you lay him down he tends to stretch out his arms so he looks like a little T then when he gets excited he thumps his arms on his belly.

Have to get ready for my ruckbildung class. Will say hello to more people later!! Sorry for probably really boring post

*beyond - it was auto correct... Honest!

mrtumbles i guess it depends on yourself, but to me dc getting up at 5.30 is def a big problem! Which is why ds2&3 were given a groclock. But maybe that's just me being selfish, just like me insisting an 7pm bedtime for all three.
How is your ds2 at night, being in his own room now?

linzer I said to dh the other day that you only realise three dc is not the norm when you look for either a suitable car or house, as there really isn't much choice. I know so many people with more than 2dc, I often forget that it more than average.

Yes, a flattie is a flatcoated retriever. They are gorgeous and fantastic with children. I think if we waited for the kids being older and a bit more independent, I would not want to go back to bring restricted. And as I am still at home we decided that its the perfect time as I will have plenty of time for the little pup. And I am hoping that maybe having a puppy will get rid of my broodiness

nutella yay to your ds giving you a bit more sleep!

easta haven't heard of it. I have very heavy and painful periods and take buscopan plus. That is prescription free at pharmacies. Good luck

Hello all!

Move is looking rather imminent now so I thought I'd rejoin the thread. We're currently visiting DP and getting the lay of the land a bit. DS loves the trams and all the million types of sausage, and DP has successfully introduced him to Schnitzel!

I have found an English speaking meet up group in Karlsruhe so am starting to meet a few people. We're going to someone's house tomorrow - is it customary to take anything when you go to someone's house? I don't want to appear rude!

Bertie, I would take something, Germans always seem to and people living in Germany may be used to it. Better anyway to bring an unnecessary gift than feel embarrassingly empty-handed. We've received quite a few little pots of flowering spring flowers recently - quite a nice alternative to chocolate/cut flowers (if you're stuck for ideas!)

True! What kind of thing to take? Biscuits/cake etc or something else?

Bertie cake is standard, flowers also acceptable, I'd say biscuits only if home made / bakery ;) Main thing is its unusual to turn up empty handed unless you're already close and visit frequently.

Outnumbered his sleep is still dreadful, 1-3 hours to fall asleep and at least 4I wake ups a night, often up to 7, and it gets progressively harder to resettle him, so he's pften only asleep 20and mins then takes an hour to resettle towards the end of the night. That's why I get the irrational rage when I hear a full nights sleep and a 5-5.30am waking described as a "sleep problem" - I know it is irrational as it doesn't make any difference to me, I just think people have no idea how lucky they are. Both my older 2 got up at 5am every morning until old enough to respond to bunny clocks and reward charts, obviously I wanted them to sleep a bit later ideally, but even befote DC 3 I'd never have defined starting the day at 5the as a "sleep problem"- - I've always assumed its something most young children do!