A question for German mums on MN

[admylin]

I'm British living in Germany and sometimes Mumsnet is like my life line back home when I'm homesick, even if I just read a few hreads a day. I need some info about Grundschule and other things specific to Germany but up to now have only found quite aggressive, not very friendly sounding german forums (eltern.de for example) that I haven't dared to join. Can any of you suggest a nice, helpfull forum abit like MN for me in Germany? Could be my german isn't perfect enough and I mistake the style for unfriendly when infact it isn't.

I'm trying to be relaxed and not think too deeply about it, my sister gave me some good advice too. And after all he is a really good teacher so I'm sure he will be understanding, I'll listen to him first then say what I want to say and thank him for his time but say I have to speak to dh too. Can't see him being able to change my mind really!

Hope it goes well, admylin. Did I mention I was v impressed by his e-mail? Ds1's teacher & the head here are always so defensive and cold. He sounded as though he wanted to talk to you about it rather than just going through the motions. Ds2's new teacher seems much more human too.

Hi Fink

How did it go admylin?

Hi SSShake
Just came to see if admylin was back. The Mumsnet Effect: cycling away after my meeting with ds2's teacher I was wondering how admylin's meeting had gone
Ds2's teacher is great - it was our first 1 to 1 meeting and phew, how pleasant to have no ructions!

That's great news Fink! Really hope things work out well. Admylin seems to be out painting the town red in triumph.

We had glorious weather today - 18 degrees. Did you?

admylin..... and the result is....?

All went well! Very understanding teacher we have!
I printed him some stuff about highly sensitive kids and selective mutism (Dd spent a whole year of Kindergarden without saying a single word) and gave them to him (in english) with the offer to translate them if he wanted but he managed to read them and he said now that he knew - he understood if she didn't go on the trip. Phew. Still didn't get the whole point of the trip or why he wants to do it, he even said teachers have to pay out of their own pocket to stay at the villa.
It's such a lovely day I've been chin wagging outside school (well hidden round the corner) with a couple of mums.

That's great news. So did you say she will not be going then? He does sound nice. Shame that they start so enthusiastic and seem to lose all that verve over the years. Can imagine teaching is a very hard profession.

It is nice and sunny but freezing cold, isn't it? I have to clean some of the windows today so I should get to work. Have the ladder up and the tools of the trade at hand but can't get motivated to start.

That's the price you pay for living in a nice altbauwohnung eh! Mine aren't too bad but we've got the new BND building site behind us so that side of the house doesn't even get considered for window cleaning!

No I didn't say I would decide yet, he suggested asking some parents if dd could go to them for a sleep over to see if she likes it and would cope, said I would try to contact them but dd doesn't want to when I asked last night. I suggested he try and organize a Lesenacht which she might attend willingly as she loves reading and hearing stories. He finished the meeting saying it's over 3 months 'till the trip so you don't have to decide and we'll wait and see but he understands dd's "situation2 much better and accepts if she doesn't join. He's great, I even remembered to compliment his teaching skills and enthusiasm!

The Lesenacht sounds good. Bet he'll do that too

Wouldn't mind ground floor windows so much... I'm scared of heights... I have done one room now and prepared some lunch, so resting on my laurels for a bit now

Think you could try inviting some one to stay the night at your place first, she might like the return invitation then. How is dd? Is she feeling ok now?

No, she was very pale this morning and had a bad night, she had a nightmare and came to us in bed which she has not done for years. Said this morning in the dream it was her brother hitting her. Have to sort that out after school, she wanted to go in otherwise I would have kept her off as she was so pale.
Will try and invite someone over at the weekend , maybe to play first. Most of the kids stay at Hort and I never get to see the mums so they don't know me either. I only know the few SAHM's well and they are not the dc that dd plays with as much.

Didn't you get a list of dc with their addresses and phone numbers handed out at the Elternabend? Otherwise, I would suggest that to the teacher.

Also glad it went well and that he seems to be such a good teacher. Your poor dd must have had a rough year in kiga - was it because of the German?
Sun shining here again and highlighting my mucky windows but am resolutely ignoring the grime, happily spent the morning pruning raspberry canes. Sure I read somewhere you shouldn't clean windows when the sun is shining

Finknottle, the year of silence at kindergarten was strange, she was obviously having problems with the social side of being in a group but she went quite willingly even though she just couldn't speak, not even a yes or a no. She understood the language, I'm sure because at home she would quite happily play with the neighbours boys and speak german to them. I've only read abit about it (selective mutism) but it fits her "profile" and we dealt with it very slowly (I even had the whole kidergarten class plus teachers round at my house 3 times to try and get her to open up)!