Streupflicht und Schneeschaufel - Winterliche Unterhaltung im Deutschem Eck

[admylin]

All welcome, Austria & Switzerland & any German-speaking Leute too

Snow and more snow here in Hannover! Lucky for us we have a Hausmeister to do the Schneeschaufeln every morning.

I must say I hate theme parks. Used to take dc1 & 2 to europapark when they were little because it was relatively close and cheap, as didn't have topay for them. Also went term time, so quiet. Legoland is really shit, the height restrictions are rediculous. my dare devil but small for his age 6 year old was only allowed to go on something moving at 0.1 km ph with an adult in attendance (not exactly practcal with baby in tow) Nothing more daring than blowing up a balloon. V. frustrating and boring. Their limits are WAY too catious.

Have several times takes 40 14 year old boys to Disney land Paris. I think I've done my turn. Never again.

Ds3 just had his Schuleinganguntersuchung, and I must say, it was depressingly bad. Feel really down about it. Thank God she signed him off as Schulreif, but he did really badly. I think he was terrified (he was wringing his little hands under the table), but he just seemd to have a mind blank. He couldn't remember a lot of words (eg bottle) the she asked him to tell her a story, a fairy tale, anything he was reading atm, what does he do in the morning. Anything, and all he did was shake his head, shrug his shoulders and say I don't know.

I saw him afterwards and asked him if he was scared and he said no.

Now I am double terrified about the Schulspiel (have spoken to other mothers now who confirm it is a test run by the school, similar to the Schuleinganguntersuchung, to decide if they can go to the school or not. Shit. If he freezes up like this morning, I'm worried they won't take him.

Any tips? Oh, and she said urgently need to improve his german. Seemed v. disaproving of us speaking in English. Any tips there? I cannot speak to him in German I don't think. I've also felt v. strongly I shouldn't. It's important to me that A. he learns to speak English properly & B. He doesn't learn crap mistake-riddled German off me.

Sounds horrible, Ernest. Your poor ds. I wouldn't worry about it too much though as it sounds fairly normal to me, that he would freeze up in that kind of situation. Mine still do and they are older.

I also can't imagine that the school would refuse to take him for that reason. If they did, then they must be rejecting a lot of children.

Oh, and don't take any notice of the disapproval of you speaking English. You are quite right to stick to your guns there for all the reasons you mentioned. I would guess that she doesn't have a clue about bilingualism or she would have known about the benefits of being bilingual and the importance of you speaking English to your dc.

Sorry to hear that things didn't go well at the school, Ernest. It sounds like it would have been quite an ordeal for any child who isn't particularly confident; I can't imagine that DD2 would have said a single word in the same situation. They don't seem to take into account the fact that a child might be shy/nervous - things that don't necessarily have anything to do with Schulreife. Did she actually hear him speak enough German to know that it needs improving? People are always asking me whether DD2 and DC can speak German as neither of them are keen on talking to strangers, who then assume that they can't speak the language...

And if his German really does need improving, I definitely wouldn't start talking to him in German - apart from everything else, he would probably find it quite disorientating if you suddenly started speaking to him in a different language. Does he already have German-speaking friends over to play? And watch German TV? I've found the DC have picked up a lot from watching English DVDs; if I hear them come out with a certain phrase that I'm sure they haven't got from me, I know where it must have come from...

Well, DH didn't need much persuading in the end (although the glass of wine probably helped!) and we're now off to Berlin for a long weekend in June! It's almost nine years since we were last there and I can't wait to go back again.

Ernest, my dd cried at her Schuleinganguntersuchung and refused to speak to the woman. When asked to draw something (can't remember what) she also refused and then the woman left the room for something so dd drew the picture but the woman said I can't accept that because I didn't actually see her do it ...anyway, she still gave dd the all clear. Made me think, what a load of rubbish those tests are because really she should have said (going by what she saw) that dd wasn't reif for school.

Will your ds be going round the school with his friends? Ifs he might enjoy it and be nore relaxed than sitting opposite some woman in an office.

Aberita, did you manage to find somewhere nice to stay with the whole family or are you and dh going to Berlin alone? That's where I always get stuck, I never find offers for rooms with an 11 and 10 year in tow.

Thanks for your messages. They've made me feel a lot better. Of course, you're right, he won't be the only one who's nervous. Tbh I hadn't even considered that. I spoke to one mum about how the lady last year had asked him to tell a story and he froze and she just laughed and said when her dd went in (she's a year younger) she rattled off the story of little red riding hood (complete with suitable voices and finger pupppets no doubt) and I just felt even worse.

Unfortunately we have this added hurdle of the Schulspiel, and as we're moving, he'll not be going to the local Grundschule, well, it will be local to the new house, so he won't know anybody. He had a Schuppermorgen there recently and also looked terrified.

Must learn to chill a bit. I think the Sonderchule recommendation has really rattled me. I'm also surprised he's so shy and lacking in confidence in these situations. He's normally so erm NOT shy.

Anyway, I've told him German tv, I've arrange for him to go to a friend's house tomorrow (so he'll be speaking German) and I'll get ds1 & 2 to bring friends round as much as possible so that he'll get as much practice as possible. I guess what he needs though is practice with a grown up thinking about it. Vocabulary, interaction etc all totally different. hmm.

Admylin, wish I could offer to put you up. Maybe we can arrange a meet at least one time, mind you the munich meet didn't exactly take off did it?!

We'll be taking the DC to Berlin with us - apart from the fact we thought they would probably enjoy it, I'm not sure my in-laws could cope with them for two nights... I used the roomfor5 website to find a hotel; there were only about five in Berlin so not an overwhelming choice but that's not necessarily a bad thing. We went for one in Tiergarten in the end; there was also one in Lichtenberg that sounded good (and had a slightly better review on HolidayCheck) but we decided to stick to an area that we were familiar with.

Ernest, are you in Berlin then? I'd sort of assumed from your name that you were in Bavaria... Do you or does anyone else have any suggestions about what to do with children in Berlin? I've been racking my brains trying to remember what I did with the children when I was an au pair, but can only come up with the zoo and aquarium (plus long rides on the S-Bahn or bus when I was too tired from nights out to do anything more energetic ).

sorry, no, you're right, I am in Bavaria, near Munich, it's just Ad had talked about coming down this way.

Went to Berlin last year, if that helps?

My mistake, Ernest - I wrote my last post before my first coffee, so my brain wasn't fully functioning! I remembered you writing something about putting admylin up in a previous post - but also that she'd mentioned visiting Berlin, so put two and two together and made five. Glad to hear you're feeling better about the school situation today anyway - I'm sure there must be so many children who react in the same way. DD1 is now in her second year of school and I can't imagine her being able to tell a story to a virtual stranger very fluently. She might be able to mumble a sentence or two and we'd no doubt be told her German needed improving... at Little Red Riding Hood complete with voices and finger puppets!

Aberita, try to take them to see the Naturkundemuseum for the dinosaurs, it's excellent! We lived just behind it as the Charite hospital isn't too far where dh worked.

Also the same goes for the Egyptian museum if they're into mummies and Egypt.

Just walking around the Museum area is great too.

They've opened an indoor www.legolanddiscoverycentre.de/berlin/de/index.htm Legoland]] too.

Oh well, atleast 2 links worked!
Off to make lunch then we're going for a walk around a nearby lake in the country side, try to tire the dc out abit!

hi all!! not had much MN time recently - a lovely stomach bug is taking its time to go round the whole family!! had both ds's at home today after ds2 was sick in the night and ds1 woke up with belly ache! but surprisingly ds1's not been sick and they've both picked up!! been a long day!!!

ernest - my heart went out to your lovley DS for his Schuluntersuchung! its such a hard time for him no wonder I was nervous. I was nervous for ds1 when he had his the other week. How old is he again? does he have to go to school this time?

I think everyone else's ideas about getting him to watch more german tv and play with more german friends are great ideas. Does he go to any sports things? ds1 is in a similar position about needing to learn more german (ds2 who's only 3 seems to have picked it up easier - so unfair for ds1!!!). so ds1 goes to football and kinder turnen and i think that as well as kiga every morn, playing with german friends and german tv is enough exposure.

You're absolutely right to not speak to him in german!! he needs that exposure to English as well! The woman blatantly had no idea about bilingualism!

all your talk of holidays got me in the mood to book our summer holiday - dh really wants to go to the Ostsee and although i'm not keen i'm going to go along with it and hope i'm proved wrong. just doubtful about the weather and one of you (sorry i forgot who!) already posted that it could rain the whole time!!!!

I'm no use for helping you organise anything in Berlin - only went there twice and it was a long time ago!! would love to go back tho but dh lived there for a while and isnt quite so excited about doing the touristy things when we're there!

also in the mood for a trip back to the UK - might try to book something with dd for June if the GP's can have the boys!

Hello everyone - a quick question for you. Does anyone know why you can't take a bath for six weeks after giving birth in Germany? I've just been let out after having DS and I didn't think to ask when the doctor banned me from baths! Any ideas?

Scootergrrrl - Congratulations!
I think the bath advice is to do with the risk of infection, but I could be wrong. I must admit that I didn´t wait the full six weeks because I love having a bath to relax. However I did use plain water (no bubble bath), not too deep and didn´t stay in for very long.

Ernest - do you know if the Kindergarten run any groups to help with the language? At our Kiga, one teacher from the Grundschule comes 3-4 times a week to run a group (about 20-30mins) with children struggling with German for the year before they start school. Ds has already been put forward for this for September as he really struggles with German (and English). I don´t know where we went wrong with him because dd didn´t have any problems. I think your other ideas sound great and definitely don´t start speaking German to him.

aberita - other ideas for Berlin include the zoo which mine both loved and they also enjoyed going up the Fernsehturm at Alexander Platz. I have to say we thought the Legoland Discovery Centre was completely rubbish. We had to queue ages to get in - it´s really small, not much to do and was really filthy.

Canella - hope you´re all feeling better soon. We went to Dierhagen on the Ostsee a few years ago.. It was really beautiful, but very windy. I think it would have been great if the dc had been older and we could have all hired bikes because it´s brilliant for cycling - very flat and lots of cycle paths.

Scootergrrl - I forgot to say the water shouldn´t be too hot because it can increase the risk of bleeding.

Thanks for the suggestions and links, admylin. I'd completely forgotten about the Egyptian museum, which is a great idea - from the website, it looks to have moved since I was last there. I'm sure the dinosaurs would go down well too; it would be good to do something a bit different with them (we've already taken them to the zoo and aquarium in Vienna, for example). I've also just remembered about the no. 100 bus (for a cheap sightseeing tour) - does anyone know if it's still running?

Sorry to hear about the stomach bug, canella - I think those kinds of things are just the worst, as you're just waiting for the next person in the family to catch it (not to mention all the washing involved, as the DC always seem to get ill in the night). Hope you manage to escape it if you haven't had it already!

Scootergrrl - six weeks seems like a long time to have to wait for a bath. I have vague memories of being told not to have a bath until the lochia had stopped (if that's the right word... postnatal bleeding, I mean), but I'm sure that was only after one of the DC was born. Did you have a Caesarean? If so, it could be to keep the wound dry (I think I was told I could have a shower but not a bath for a while, but I can't remember for how long exactly). Sorry, I'm not much use - memory like a sieve since the DC were born!

x posts hupa - the Fernsehturm was something else I'd forgotten about but another great idea, thanks; I always used to take visitors there when I was living in Berlin. I'm sure they'd enjoy the zoo too - it's just that we've got limited time, but if the weather is nice it would probably be a good place to visit. I have the feeling that two days aren't going to be enough and I'll be starting to plan our next visit as soon as we get back!

Congratulations scootergrrrl on hving your DS!! Never heard of not having a bath after giving birth - it was one of my favourite things to do after all 3 of my DC! just felt i never got properly clean down there in the shower!! didnt fill the bath up to the top but was every morning in a little bath!

Hupa - thanks for that recomendation of somewhere to go at the Ostsee - love the idea of loads of cycle paths - dd and ds1 are great on their bikes and i'm sure by August ds2 will be riding a bike - he's far too fast and good on his Laufrad!!! we've got a bike for him but he says he must be 4 to ride a bike!! thats how old ds1 was when he learned!! find it funny when they say these kind of things!

aberita - oh i've had the bug already and just not getting better as quickly as i would like! dc are better and back at kiga but dh and i had it at the weekend and we're both just not right - we've both got no appetite and still feel nauseous and no energy! i've not gone to my german course this week! when i phoned this morning he says i'll have to get a sicknote if i miss 1 more day!! i'm not going to the Hausarzt (who i've never been to!!) just because i've had D&V!!

Canella - I wouldn´t necessarily recommend Dierhagen because although it was fine it was a bit of a hassle to get to. It´s on a halbinsel so only one main road in and out and at the weekend the traffic is terrible. I´m sure there are loads of lovely places that are less hassle to reach. I would probably choose somewhere bigger next time so that if the weather is bad we had a few options of something to do indoors.

scooter girl, congratulations.

hello everyone else. Hope you're enjoying the sunshine.

Lovely and sunny today here too, although DD1 insisted on wearing her thick winter coat and hat most of the day - she is a true Austrian (the other two didn't even want a coat on). Ironically, she is the only one of the three who wasn't born here.

lovely sunny too here aberita and i had to really persuade ds2 that he didnt need his winter hat!! think our kids are just still in winter mode! but so am i a bit - i've got my knee high socks on under my trousers!

just been out for a lovely long walk - a good friend here has a rotten UTI with a high temp but she's got a 10 week old baby (as well as 3 other kids under 6!!). so i took him out in his pram to let her get some rest - was a great day to be out walking with a pram!! its amazing how much further i can walk when i can push a pram! didnt make me want anymore babies of my own tho!

love this sunny weather - means i can send those ds's of mine out all afternoon on their bikes/laufrads! love them being outside - it was a long winter!

Morning, has Spring really started do you think? That means get the tyres changed on car, pack winter coats etc away and buy the dc new shoes.

The shoe part is the worst job. They hate going for shoes and they are quite fussy about style so we often end up with nothing and we have to try again and again. Dh is the same, he's been looking for simple, no-fuss lambs wool sweaters for ages and eventually we found some good choices on the M&S website in UK.

Ernest, thanks for offering anyway, would have been like going abroad having a trip down to Bavaria! So pleased for your ds though, how about trying bribary again to encourage him to 'enjoy' this schulspiel thing?

Spring does seem to have finally sprung here - but having thought that a couple of times already only to be surprised by yet more snow, I'm being a bit cautious about putting the winter clothes away. DD2 was pestering me for shoes last weekend; she wants new ones whenever we go into a shoe shop (how did I end up with such acquisitive children?!). I probably won't bother changing my tyres though; DH decided it wasn't worth doing last summer as he thinks the tyres will probably outlive the car (I don't drive very much, or at least not very long distances).

My DH is also a fan of M&S, admylin. We sometimes go to our nearest in Bratislava (there used to be three in Vienna, but they all closed down) for him to stock up. The Next next door to it had a lot of Peppa Pig stuff when we were last there; DD2 and DS are both big fans so DS is now the proud owner of some George underwear.

I'm full of admiration for anyone that could cope with four under 6 year olds, canella. I can only just about manage three under 9s - well, I can't even do that some days!

yeah i'm sure spring has sprung so my car is in the garage as i type for its service and to have the tyres changed! need to also get some shoes for dd and ds1 - we've just been recycling ds1's old shoes for ds2 so far but think thats going to come to an end since ds1 seems to ruin all his shoes!

aberita - i'm also impressed by how my friend copes but i sometimes think she's on the edge of not coping! she's now in hospital (with the baby with her) so not sure how her dh will cope with the other 3!!

would love if there was an M&S near here - could just do with some nice cheap M&S quality bras!! oh and a next would be great altho i know they deliver - just never got round to it!

How much do you expect to pay for the car check over and tyre change cannella? I know I should take mine to the nearby garage where we bought it but last time they charged us a fortune for changing oil and tyres.

For the winter ones I took it to a small petrol station and the owner did it for 20 euro but of course he didn't really service it except for checking oil and water levels for me.

I wish my 2 dc would go out and play, it's lovely but they won't go out together. Such a shame to sit indoors. Trouble is around our flats there are alot of older moany types and they even have signs up saying no ball playing even though there are huge lawns never in use.