5 THINGS THAT SHOCKED ME ABOUT RAISING MY KIDS IN GERMANY🇩🇪 New Zealand mum

[@AntoinetteEmily]

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[@to.l.2469]

In the past, Germany itself was criminally negligent in passing on knives. But the legal situation is clear today. It was illegal to ask teachers to do something like that. Parents who gave their children a sharp knife to take to school were also acting illegally. The only legal way would be for parents to hand the knife over to an adult before school and take it back with them after school! It is shocking how little knowledge there is of our weapons laws and the laws protecting minors here! Children under the age of 14 are generally not allowed to own weapons, which can include certain knives. But even younger children are generally only allowed to handle knives if they have the appropriate level of maturity and ability. And only under supervision! The school also has a duty of care towards its students! Transferring responsibility to the parents is completely unacceptable! 9:07 Are you sure that this is something specific to Germany? Just take a look at schools in a big city, there you meet fewer children from privileged parents.

[@Renderer128]

I agree. Non-sharp knifes will also create more gashing wounds an propbably leave worse scars. Teaching how to treat a knife and be very responable and careful with it is a very important skill to avoid accidents in the future. Most kids love to help ding grown-up stuff, also. Sometimes it´s a good thing to overcome ones own fears as a parent. Feelings are not always helpful when making decisions...

[@BernhardGiner]

My daughter really wanted to help me cook when she was 2 or 3. She was given the biggest, sharpest kitchen knife (better grip, less risk of slipping) and I showed her how to use it as well as I could. She liked to carve and do handicrafts. - She cut herself for the first time when she was 8 (not bad). She told me the reason was that she got distracted. I was very proud of her for that realisation: lesson learned.

[@julianegner5997]

Sharp knifes are less risky than bland knifes

[@BernhardGiner]

​@@julianegner5997 Yes, that's the reason (besides, all our knives are sharp anyway 😂). And secondly, I find larger cooking knives more suitable for beginners - knives with a larger blade, e.g. all-purpose knives (not the pointed, slim fish or meat knives, for example). They are easier to see, feel, control and guide and they also do not penetrate so easily. As a first approach you can, for example, teach your child to place them with the tip on the board and only cut with the rest (Things that are big enough and don't roll away, like apple slices, (half) cucumbers or carrots, for example, are a good place to start - things that are easy to cut, easy to see and on which you can learn the finger position of the holding hand.)

[@Kloetenhenne]

​@@BernhardGineralso the weight of a larger knife can help with cutting so the child doesn't need as much strength to cut harder things

[@wora1111]

German father here. When watching your son climb, I got the impression he very well knows what he is doing and how to do it. Lessons learned. The only problem my daughter ever had was when she climbed up some structure and did not know how to get down again. That happened exactly once. After that the only problem was explaining to adults that she knew exactly what she was doing and there was no need to "rescue" her from trees or light poles

[@wallerwolf6930]

As a child, I would have been thrilled if we had playgrounds like the ones you can find everywhere today. Of course there were also climbing frames and slides and swings. But we trained our gross motor skills in trees, on walls, in garages ;-)). When I think back to what I had to deal with as a child, it's still a mystery to me that I got through it all in one piece ;-))

[@MiSaLiAnW]

Yeah, thats my basic rule for my son: he is only allowed to climb, when i made sure he knows the way back down.

[@GrogGurgler]

We are literally monkeys, the urge to climb sits deeply in our genecode

[@FrogeniusW.G.]

The "overdressing" in changing seasons is this: It's called Zwiebelprinzip. In spring and autumn in the mornings often it's chilly cold, so the kids get dressed so that they can take off things. Like a zipper/cardigan on top of a tshirt instead of a sweater (like in winter) and a hat or shawl for the way to school in the early morning.

[@lynnm6413]

It‘s also often the case that summerclothes are packed away in boxes during winter to make room in the wardrobe, so they aren‘t easily accessible if one or two days are unseasonably warm.

[@badbedbat93]

"Kind ziehe dir was an, deiner Mutter ist kalt." Meaning: Child put on some clothes, your mother feels cold.😅 That is also a phenomenon I observed occasionally.

[@SheratanLP]

Depending on the region, the weather here in Germany can change very quickly in spring and you go outside early in the sun and freeze yourself off at lunchtime. Therefore, it takes a little longer for German parents to trust the weather and act according to the motto, you can always move out a bit. You can't wear what you don't have with you.

[@kikaha66]

Stumpfe Messer stellen eine größere Verletzungsgefahr dar als scharfe Messer: Man drückt viel stärker und rutscht beim schneiden eher ab! Meine 4 Töchter und meine Frau haben alle ein Schweizer Taschenmesser und ein Opinel

[@Astrofrank]

Und vernünftig Schneiden lernen kann man mit einem stumpfen Messer auch nicht. Na gut, die meisten Küchenmesser taugen auch nur noch als Lineal, weil die Benutzer nicht wissen, was ein scharfes Messer ist.

[@LettersFromAFriend]

Das denke ich auch. Unsere Kinder haben scharfe Opinel-Messer, die vorne abgerundet sind. Scharf: Man kann sich in den Finger schneiden. Blöd, aber ungefährlich. Spitz: Alles mögliche kann passieren... Stumpf: Rutscht ab.

[@Alexander-dt2eq]

end of march you can have 0 degree in the morning and 23 degree in the afternoon. so winter gear makes sense for part of the day if they go out to school at 7am when its cold. I remember facing the same issue as a child. its not really the parents fault its just the change of the season where you get summer and winter on the same day.

[@elizabethbathory9799]

Mom of 2 german boys here. Our oldest got his first tool box with actual tiny tools (all wood and metal, no plastics) for his 2nd birthday. It had absolutely everything you would want in a tool box including a saw (Fuchsschwanz in German) and a hand drill (like a screw for wine bottles) which we both put in a safe place and gave those to him only when supervised. For that birthday He also got his opinel kitchen knife which is a sharp knife which cuts carrots and peppers. He got his first pocket knife at 5 I believe and now at 7 he is using an axe to help his father chop wood. Needles to say that his 2 1/2 yo brother doesn't stand around watching. They have both cut themselves with knifes as it happens to anyone from time to time while cooking. Bandaid on, little song and a cuddle and all ist well again. They know those tools are sharp, demand focus and are not to be fooled around with. If the school would ask for the Kids to bring knifes I would assume they mean sharp kitchen knifes, because they do have butter knifes in house the kids could use. Playgrounds and outdoors: There are playgrounds where I as a mom can not understand why they are built like that. 10m high climbing nets and there are kids that climb to the top and then decide to hang there upside down because it's fun. I have turned away from those kind of situations countless times. There is a saying "If mum doesn't look, nothing happens". Just because we aren't running around screaming doen't mean we're not scared. We just try to not project it on our kids. There have been countless times where I thought "one slip will earn us a ride to the ER and I'll feel like the stupidest parent on the planet" - has never happened so far *knock on wood*.

[@Die_Oile]

Once, on Fehmarn, I rounded a corner to find my 2 yo daughter 4 meters above ground on a balancing rope, her fingers barely reaching the side handles. All I could think was “don’t scream, or she’ll fall!”. I never sweated as much as during the minutes she took to return to the ground.

[@NeinaVoris-xq2ic]

Hahahahahaaaa

[@darkmoore05]

German mom here. I think our take on raising children is to show them, teach them, encourage them to do things themselves safely, from a young age. Kids don't need to be scared of handling a knife, helping with cooking, lighting a candle, etc. if they have the proper tools, have been taught(and are age appropriately supervised) and confident in their abilities. In my experience accidents on playgrounds are rare not only because the playgrounds are designed to be safe, but also we allow our kids to trust their instincts and their abilities and not spook them by being overly cautious. Mine are teenagers now, and the only "serious" injury my daughter ever had was a broken arm from falling awkwardly with her inliners - and yes, she had protective gear. As for the candy at the doctor's office -I was asked if it's okay with me. If it hadn't been, the reward would have been a small toy or sticker.

[@dorooutoftheblue]

German mom here. 😀 You should have seen my daughter, when she decided to wear her skiing trousers to kindergarten in June! 😂 I really tried to talk her out of it, but she was determined, so I let her. Some things must obviously be learnt by experience. 🤷😄 She wore them on the way to kindergarten and also on the way home, but she never did it again during summer. Normally, my kids would kick off their shoes and everything wintery as soon as the sun got a little warmer.

[@emiliajojo5703]

Wer schön sein will muss leiden!

[@nordwestbeiwest1899]

Antoinette German playgrounds are checked by TÜV and approved to ensure that they are safe for children! Most playgrounds with plastic stuff are much more dangerous than German children's playgrounds with lots of loose sand. The sand ensures extra safety even to prevent injuries. The Germans' golden rule is when the dormouse is over, it's time to dress properly for summer.

[@tasminoben686]

So ist es! Kinder müssen ja auch lernen, ihre körperlichen Fähigkeiten aus zu testen und zu trainieren! Und ich glaube auch, dass Spielplätze, schon in meiner Jugend, in den Sechzigern sehr sicher waren! Pfingsten ist ja nun praktisch vorbei. Dann wünsche ich euch einfach nur eine schöne Woche! Und denk daran: die ersten fünf Tage nach dem Sonntag, jetzt sind es vier, sind immer die schlimmsten! Grüße aus Ahrensburg❤

[@aurelije]

I think that soon along U checks kids will get TÜV chek too. A lot of people (even German by origin) complain that Kitas and schools are made for one type of kids (by DIN norm) and every kid that is not made like that will heve issues

[@gargoyle7863]

Children bones heal good. As long the playground doesn't kill its fine. ;-) My childhood was full of abrasion injuries and I believe it should be this way.

[@LupaMoon-008]

What is the meaning of " the dormouse is over" ??? Or german translation...😊

[@nordwestbeiwest1899]

@@LupaMoon-008 : Every year on June 27th is Seven Sleepers Day. In 2024, Seven Sleepers Day will fall on Thursday, June 27th. A farmer's rule says that the next eight weeks will be like this day. Or another legend says that Seven Sleepers Day has nothing to do with the animal of the same name, but rather it is the liturgical memorial day for the seven sleepers of Ephesus. On June 27th, Christians remember a legend about seven children who are said to have survived for 195 years walled up in a shelter.Dormouse = Siebenschläfer , try to translate it differently like seven day sleeper.

[@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vl]

As a young boy I went on many hiking tours with my parents and grandparents. I think I was around 6 or 7 when my grandfather gave me a Swiss army knife as a gift eager to show me how to use it safely and what I'd be able to do with it. However we do have a saying: "Messer, Gabel, Schere, Licht, sind für kleine Kinder nicht!" (Knife, fork, scissors, light, are not (allowed) for small children) Here, Licht (light) stands for fire as well as for electricity. Usually "kleine Kinder" (small children) means children up to an age of 4 or 5 who are still struggling at controlling the movements of their limbs possibly.

[@viomouse]

I tend to agree, but would lower the age, most kids I know cut their own fruit with a sharp knife once three. My son got scissors for his 3rd birthday and he's been allowed to light candles, but that one never alone. He's also allowed to put new wood into the stove.

[@reinhard8053]

@@viomouse I don't know when I got my first knife, but with something like 6-8 I lost it and then had the next one secured with a thin chain to the trousers.

[@nelerhabarber5602]

Watch denmarks forest kindergardens!!!!

[@markusb.ausu.3878]

​@@nelerhabarber5602 Das sind die ganz Harten! 😅

[@nelerhabarber5602]

@@markusb.ausu.3878 Nur die Harten kommen durch!😁

[@ImInternetfalschabgebogen]

There is a german saying that expains it all: "Kinder, die nichts dürfen, werden zu Erwachsenen, die nichts können." (Children who are not allowed to do anything will become adults who are unable to do anything.)

[@hallowach4218]

The trick is to let them make mistakes that are big enough to learn and small enough to not seriously damage.

[@daemotron]

German dad here. I rather have my kids (5 and 9) climb and experiment on the playground where it's relatively safe (soft ground, no sharp metal edges etc) than finding them on the roof of the school building or run off to play on an abandoned factory or construction site (well, I did as a kid and had a few narrow escapes). For us it's even pretty normal to let our kids go to the playground on their own - it's not far from our house (no dangerous roads to cross). My son loves helping me in the kitchen, so he got a kitchen knife for his fifth birthday - it's got a sharp blade, but a rounded point and a handle fitting a kid's hand. Easier and safer to handle for him than one of mine. Did he cut his finger? Yes, it happened twice, but never really badly, nothing a colourful band-aid couldn't fix...

[@mrm7058]

Well, I don't remember using a knife for preparing meals in school, but we have done some woodwork, which includes using a saw, hammer and nails - and that was in the elementary school. So, yeah, using tools for young school kids is quite normal in Germany, I guess. I also think learning to use such tools is safer when they learn this with teachers/parents opposed to playing around with such tools when no one is watching (and they will try sooner or later)

[@FrogeniusW.G.]

8:00 To be fair/precise: The "little bag" of gummibears contains about 5 or 6 bears. 😊

[@indrahx5905]

I asked my mum about it and she said I started using scissors at age 2.5 and kitchen knives at 4. Totally normal, all the kids in my German family do so. The worst that could happen: a tiny cut, tears for a minute, life lesson learned. Won't happen twice. ;) And the dangerous playgrounds are the only ones that are fun! When we were kids we climbed up the fir trees, like 10-15m high.. in fact I spent half my childhood high up in trees. Nobody ever fell. Let them enjoy it.

[@ramblingmillennial1560]

I actually had a friend who nearly cut her finger completely off using scissors at school. I don't remember what she was cutting but it sounded like she pushed down on the scissors with her palm to try to cut something and nearly chopped off a finger on the opposite hand. She said it was the teacher's fault tho cuz she told her to do it that way.

[@TheMAmeph]

I still hate the boring playgrounds with a Schaukel and a Rutsche and Sand and that's it. The best are they ones with climbing stuff or multi use in any way, lots of structure, balancing poles and so forth.

[@johannbredendieck7568]

I think, we germans dress still warm in spring because until end of may, the weather still can change suddenly, and a warm day with 23 degree plus celsius can easily end with 12 or less degrees, espacially after those thunderstorms that often happen in springtime, so that children would freeze without warm clothings.

[@felimuller909]

that playground looks aweaome!! i teach Kinderturnen (gymnastics) for children age 3 and older and this climbing ladder is great. for a smaller child, the distance would be too big, so it ensures that only children with a certain bodyheight can get up. and the loose sand would prevent major inuries if they fell. In my experience, most children know exactly what they are capable of and will only try things they think they can manage. learning to assess risks and experience what their body can do is extremely beneficial for children's development, confidence and health! in Kindergarten we had the "Hammerspiel" where you could nail colourful wooden pieces to a corkboard. of course it had real steel nails!

[@veronikam3836]

My daughter just had a healthy beakfast at school last week and she was also asked to bring a sharp knife. I didn't even think about it being "weird". :-D I just packed everything in her school bag and off she went.

[@fionaalgera3391]

I had always a knife in my pocket as a child. I got one from my dad at age 6. Totally normal. We were expected to peel our apple ourselves at school. I also used my knife playing in the woods with my friends. We biked to the woods ourselves. We were expected to be home in time for dinner (5:30).

[@kadih1973]

In my country we have a saying “crafty wind”, which implies that even though the sun is out and it feels warm, you should look out for the cool winds in spring. Usually it means that even if it gets 20+ degrees in April, I’ll still have a thin scarf on and a jacket in my bag for when the sun goes down. Also, I would not wear shorts yet, instead I’d maybe choose trousers with a more breathable fabric.

[@BeWeRo]

I am German and worked in a Kindergarten, and yes, for us it is totally normal to teach the children to cut with a sharp knife. How shall they learn to do it without practice? And concerning the playground-video. What will happen, if your son slips? He will fall in the sand and I am pretty sure he won´t hurt himself too much. And by the way: Why should he slip? I think it is only a little bit dangerous if someone pushes him.

[@joanaoliveira5832]

My Son is a pre schooler in his Kindergarten. They do often trips to the forests. The educators asked the parents for the children (5 and 6 year olds) to bring like a swiss knife in their rucksack to one of their forest trips 😮 That shocked me ... by the way: I'm a Portuguese mum living with my 3 children in Germany 🇩🇪 😊

[@AlexanderLehmann-c6z]

We tend to overdress a little in the spring, thats through. My wife says about that: "... Let us be a little underdressed in autumn to get prepared for the winter and overdressed in spring to prepare for the summer...". But to be through: It also might be, that the summer clothes are still in a box and it doesn't make sense to put them out for just two nice and warm spring days.

[@franhunne8929]

I get where you are coming from, and I can totally understand about the "still in a box" thing. But - what has become of the Dressing like an onion-thing? Where you wear a T-shirt underneath a jacket, a sweater or a hoodie. So in the morning, when it was still a bit "fresh" you could be warm, and later, when it became warmer, you could just take that off, stuff it into your backpack and feel as summery as you can be.

[@barbsmart7373]

Thankyou for your interesting answer. I can see good logic in it.

[@jgr_lilli_]

I went to a Ganztagsschule (full-day school) with a Hort (after-school-daycare) attached. The school had its own kitchen were we children could do baking and cooking projects in the afternoons with instruction and supervision of the teachers. Depending on your grade you were allowed to operate different kinds of knives and other kitchen utensils (like mixers, ovens, stovetops). It was really fun and a great opportunity to learn basic kitchen skills from an early age. Plus we got to feel the accomplishment of having made a nice afternoon snack for all the other kids. ❤

[@Muh4321]

Bringing knives to school for cooking together is normal! I (mother of 5 children) remember very well a teacher who complained to the parents that there were children in her class (Year 1, children aged 6) who couldn't peel an apple!

[@lynnm6413]

Wozu gibt es Sparschäler?

[@walterjoshuapannbacker1571]

The knife-to-school thing is totally normal and we did the same in primary school 45 years ago.

[@eyekona]

I grew up at my Grandma's in Germany. She taught me to cut veggies and fruit at age 4. She also let me cook simple stuff and taught me how to cook in general. At age 6 I was totally able to do most dishes by myself (with her teaching me what herbs and spices to choose and how much to use). I was standing on a chair in front of the oven and cooked pancakes and scrambled eggs and potato soup. And I also peeled potatoes and carrots and everything by myself. It took another 2 years to memorize most of the simple recipies she does regularly. Later at 10+ I started to improvise. There was only one incident in my childhood, when I got hot oil on my hand. After that I was very careful with the pan. Never happened again. Oh and I had some very minor cuts... but I still get them sometimes as an adult. Thats just bad luck, I guess.

[@arnodobler1096]

Matheo did a great job! We also climbed (old) trees, which was more dangerous because of the breaking branches.

[@chmueller59]

We all used to have pocket knives as children. And our playground was the wood, the river and the local dump place. Our parents never knew where we were, we knew we had to be home for lunch and in the evening around sunset. That was it. We all survived. But - I hurt myself with those Matador toy pliers.

[@Afrikacorps1943]

Ich bekam zum 7. Geburtstag einen kleinen scharfen Dolch mit Hirschhorngriff geschenkt ...der passte in die Messertasche an meiner Lederhose ! Ich war stolz wie ein Spanier ! Meine Mutter hat mir einfach vertraut !

[@jensgoerke3819]

Children learning how to safely use knives as tools grow up automatically regard knives as tools, they develop a safe and healthy mindset. Knives are no longer forbidden dangers, they have legitimate purposes. I bought my first Swiss pocket knife when I was 10 years old and I've carried one ever since, with 2 or 3 minor accidents in half a century.

[@KarlSanathos]

Regarding the playgrounds: It is a lot saver to let them stumble and learn how to fall and land when there is sand beneath them than letting them find it out the hard way.

[@folkehoffmann1198]

I want to add something to the measles vaccination: Even us Kindergarten teachers have to be vaccinated against measles. At least in Berlin. It is actually recommended to give kids a sharp knife to cut fruits and vegetables. That's because butter knives are not sharp enough for the kids to cut fruits and vegetables. So if they try the knife can quite easily slip off and the kids can get hurt by that. Like they have the knife in their hand and slip off and cut their other arm or their other hand or fingers instead.

[@AntoinetteEmily]

This all makes perfect sense! Thank you for taking the time to watch my video and share your feedback.

[@emiliajojo5703]

Man sagt mit Recht scharfe Messer sind sicherer als stumpfe Messer

[@RobertMurphy-ln6fc]

When I grew up in Sydney in the 1950/60's we were vaccinated every year for so any different diseases. It was not a problem. A doctor and some nurses would come to the school, and then - "Everyone line up" and you got your shots. Never a problem.

[@stefanfrank4054]

A dull knife is much more dangerous than a sharp one. You need a lot more force to cut and this can lead to accidents more quickly. Children should learn how to use knives safely at an early age and the dangers should also be explained to them. A friend gave me a knife for my 9th birthday that wasn't sharp enough - I slipped while cutting and my index finger was cut right down to the bone. 2 hours in the emergency room and four stitches - I learned my lesson and never cut myself again (I'm 55 years old)

[@zorrothebug]

In Ontario there was a death of a young child due to measles just a couple of days ago, after more than 10 years of the last incident, just because the danger isn't immanent anymore because of the vaccines, there are too many parents which are against vaccines altogether, even life saving ones. So these old days of kids dying and getting almost forgotten diseases are coming back. I'm very happy in Germany there is a mandatory vaccination for measles and many vacs are strongly recommended, like polio, etc.

[@barbsmart7373]

I'm a Kiwi and I am very happy that Germans make vaccinations compulsory. A lot of children died from measles in Samoa a few years ago.

[@elab.1413]

When you got measles while you are pregnant, it can cause a lot of harm to the unborn child.

[@barbsmart7373]

@@elab.1413 You are referring to Rubella. Also called German measles. It is a rather mild illness for babies and children. I don't know for sure about those rare cases in Canada, but I have definitely referred to the 83 small children who died in 2019 of measles within 3 1/2 months in the tiny Pacific nation of Samoa. It is really shocking how many countries do not vaccinate their babies.

[@svr5423]

I'm always surprised to find parents who don't mind their children dying or being crippled by diseases like measles or polio. It feels like "meh, I don't care, we can always make another one". In most countries, parent's rights supercede children's rights by some degree. You also don't need to present a license/certification or finance plan, despite the two decades of commitment necessary.

[@wanneske1969]

I live in Belgium (similar to Germany in many aspects). Yesterday I was quite shocked when I saw a little kid (maybe 10 years or younger) go shopping in the supermarket on it's own ! He had a list his parents gave him and paid with a bank card ...

[@svenmueller]

Knife? Totally normal.

[@aasphaltmueller5178]

"without a pocket knife you are not a boy" Austrian primary school headmaster

[@to.l.2469]

Students who are supposed to bring a knife to school in the first grade? That is absolutely *not* "normal" in Germany either. You definitely can't do that in big cities. And I would also say that the parents or teachers would have had serious problems if something had happened involving a knife! Not at this age! Even adults can have problems if the knife in question exceeds certain dimensions and is, for example, carried openly!

[@svenmueller]

@@to.l.2469 kitchen knifes (and in this context, I assume paring knives, with blades well under 10cm) would not cause any trouble if not carried openly. There is a reason they were asked to wrap the knifes in a towel and keep it in their bags until used. I've heard about this being done in many locations, including some big cities. So I'd call it normal. As for legal questions: kitchen knifes and some other purpose built knifes are totally fine irrespective of their length, as long as you keep them in your bag/purse/rucksack. Even in your bag, most knives over 10cm blade length are illegal in Germany. Back in my school days, we even did some wood carving in first grade, yes, with sharp carving knifes we would carry home and to school in our bags. Certainly haven't heard of any school doing that in the past 15-20 years (and before that, it became increasingly rare, despite me never hearing of any problems except for small(!) cuts)

[@to.l.2469]

@@svenmueller For adults: That's true, of course. I'm talking about a child carrying a knife (on the way to school). Children under 14 are generally prohibited from owning weapons, which can include certain knives. For small knives ( But even younger children are only allowed to handle knives if they have the necessary maturity and ability. And only under supervision! There is no supervision when carrying knives. Schools also have a duty of care towards their students! Shifting the responsibility onto the parents is completely unacceptable!

[@to.l.2469]

@@AnneKegel unter Aufsicht ist das auch ok.. Der Schulweg ist das Problem.

[@dharmapunk11]

6 year olds using knives to cut vegetables is totally normal for me. I am still a little surprised the teacher asked for the kids to bring in knives, though. I would expect the school to have some knives they can use. As to playgrounds, I don't think Geran playgrounds are dangerous. The equipment is inspected regularly and safety standards for playgrounds are high. I have never been to new Zealand, but visited New York last year and I was shocked at how uninteresting the playgrounds were. Even my two year old got bored super fast, because with all the focus of it being safe, there just was not anything interesting or challenging for him to do.

[@freaeulein_me]

We have 7 kids and have lived with them in various countries. We were apparently always very "German"for our native neighbours and friends: our kids would be naked in the garden in the summer, they learn to use sharp knives and deal with fire before they go to school, and they climb everywhere. I learned that this was so stereotype 😂

[@Arltratlo]

at the age of 5, i crossed an international border, to eat ice with my friends and my older sister! early 70s!

[@Alirion]

ad 5) If it is warm, kids are abele to take off some Cloak or pullover, but if it gets cold, they can´t add any clothes, they don´t have with them. often the wind can get verry chill near the mountains, than can be still covered with snow too in March or April in the South of Germany.

[@mamazockt]

Playgrounds are usually save. When there are things to climb on, the distance between bars is to big for small kids, so they can’t climb them on their own and that’s how they won’t fall down. When they are bigger and can reach everything they are able to climb safely. when parents help little children to climb higher, they usually stand below to help in case the child slips or falls down.

[@Herzschreiber]

Remembering my school time means walking down the memory lane.....I am 62 now. We never prepared food at school, but I rembember that we had to bring sharp kitchen Knives and a big potatoe in 4th class. It was for an art lesson, teaching how to do a "Kartoffeldruck auf Leinen". Everyone got a soft linen cloth and we cut out shapes and forms from the potato, then dipped them into color and stamped the linnen with those "potato stamps". Be assured, when a school want kids to bring knives, they will be extremely safe because the teacher is prepared to guard and guide them all extremely attentively! Teachers would get into deep trouble if an accident happened! They could be reported for the "violation of duty for supervision", Verletzung der Aufsichtspflicht.

[@petrafiedler202]

When I was in first grade (1976) we all got a kitchenknife to peel a turnip cabbage we had harvested in the school garden. We played catch on a climbing frame or a moving carousell. These carousells are not allowed today on german playgrounds for normal use.

[@PhotogNT]

Growing up in Australia my mum always had sweets in a kitchen drawer that my 2 brothers and I could grab anytime we wished without permission because sweets were not treat we tended not to pig out. This resulted in us eating far less sweets than most kids because we knew that we could help ourselves any time we wished.

[@christianlink6903]

The ground under such playground installations is soft so you never completely die kf dropping down... If it is the right sand... and normaly the toys are hard to access for to little children by stecific step distances ...... but yes you need trust in the chilld is always concentrated before sliding down

[@Die_Oile]

Hi Antoinette, Mom of 2 here. :) As for knives (and other potentially dangerous tools): we don’t tell them they’re too small to use those, but we teach them how to use them, and explain the dangers. My son tended to campfires at age 4, and used a 1100°C gas burner to make glass beads at age 7. He’s so far gotten fewer burns than I. 😅 Same for the playgrounds: children instictively learn and know their boundaries when we let them explore them. How can a child learn balance, gravity, the strength of their own arms, if we never let them use them? Every time you stop your child from climbing a small wall, or onto a log, you deny them an opportunity to learn. Please, Antoinette, chill out at the playground. :) And for your comment on clothes… I cannot confirm your observation. Neither I nor any other parent I know will make their kids sweat in winter clothing during spring sun weather. BUT there are those parents - like myself- who let their kids decide for themselves what they want to wear. And yes, we’ve had more than one occasion when the beloved winter coat my daughter absolut insisted on wearing ended up on my arm…

[@Arazhul12]

Bei uns machen die Kinder im Kindergarten den Werkzeugfuhrerschein. Hammer und Nagel, Schnitzen mit dem Schnitzmesser, sägen. Sie machen sogar eine Art Gesellenstuck

[@TheMAmeph]

Das ist ja mal cool!

[@svr5423]

Klingt super. Ich wünschte das hätte es bei uns damals gegeben.

[@rudigerschneider4835]

We had arts and crafts at primary school. One of the things we did was carving. And we needed really sharp knives for that too.

[@rudigerschneider4835]

One or two injured their fingers. But that's life

[@eisikater1584]

Welcome back! Really missed your Kiwi accent. Measles vaccination: I really wish they'd have had that back in the 1970s when I got the measles as a child. It wasn't fun. I had such a high fever the doctors feared for my life. At least that's what my parents told me, but they're parents and maybe exaggerating. Knives: Oh come on! I'm from a rural area, and we boys always had our sharp Swiss Army Knives with us. You can't send a boy to school with a blunt knife, that's embarrassing. Playgrounds: When I was a kid, we had none in our village. But there's a forest, and we were climbing trees instead. Without parental supervision, occasional scratches and bruises included. To be honest, I'd still prefer that. There are sugar-free and even vegan gummi bears, I'm sure the ones from the pediatrician are something like that. Personally, I think children shouldn't be rewarded for doing things that need to be done, but opinions vary. "Getting out of winter mode", again: I'm from a rural area. We watch the weather, not the calendar. And you know what the parents in my neighborhood do? They let their children decide what they want to wear. That's good education, in my opinion. They learn from experience, which includes feeling uncomfortable at times if their decision wasn't so wise.

[@ninjaXladyXjae]

Bringing a knife out of the blue with you to school will raise several eyebrows and can even have a teacher interfere depending on age. But when they tell you to bring one it's no big deal.

[@celinecathz2280]

On the playground equipment, I believe it is not uniquely German. It is rapidly spreading throughout Europe. I live in the UK and often travel to France to see my relatives, and I can see a definite push to make playgrounds more for the thrill seekers, with high slides, mesh tunnels, zip lines etc. I appreciate it is not for the nervous parents but the kids love it 😂

[@annapomelo3818]

Some doctors give tattoo stickers for the kits after treatment or mini toys. Thankfully, not all of them give sweets.

[@Why-D]

The knife was ist tool and therefore it has to be sharp. Even in Kindergarten kids often use hammer, nails, saws to work on wood. Kids learn how to use tools and so they also can help at home.

[@larisalariyoga2586]

Hi, we also brought a kinfe at school whwn I was around 11, we used it at math class to talk about fractions and we choped some apples. I’m from Slovenia.

[@germankitty]

When my son was in Kindergarten (age 4 or thereabouts), I took him and his buddy to a playground that was a bit bigger than others closer to home. There was one slide, about 3m high, that was quite popular with all the kids, young and older. The ladder to the top was quite crowded; both boys were slowly climbing up while I watched them from a bench a few meters away. Suddenly, my son's buddy slipped on a rung. (Almost immediately regained his footing, though!) I'd dashed over, and before I could even ask whether he was okay, that 4-year-old just looked at me, grinned, and said, "Oops, almost," climbed all the way up and slid down. That was all the reaction I got ... unless you count the near-heart attack I had for a minute. 🙂 Lesson learned: Kids are fearless -- and that's a good thing!

[@scirta]

We had the thing eith the knufe, too. Absolutely normal. They learned the letter A and for that they cut up an apple. Knufe in a towel, all good! Ok, i tried not to give my best knife with a sharp, pointed tip, but definitely a knife for apples.

[@beckyshell4649]

My parents were older when I was born,Mom 39 ,Dad 49. I was an only child and my cousin was the only neighborhood kid around. My parents always treated me more as an adult than a kid . My mom was of the opinion that I could make my choices and learn the consequences. She might have said it’s cold you better wear a coat , but if I didn’t want to wear one I didn’t. When I got cold I would remember to wear a coat next time ,lesson learned .I didn’t have a bedtime and was often the last one to go to bed , I was under 10 years old and it was a school night. After a while of this I knew to go to bed at a reasonable time .This did teach me to think about things and be prepared instead of depending on others to look out for me .

[@to.l.2469]

6:02 Playgrounds and safety: Don't panic, there are strict safety regulations for playgrounds in Germany. I can't see anything dangerous about this climbing frame. There are no dangerous holes that a head could fit into, there is sand underneath and the edges are rounded. It is up to the parents to decide whether, for example, a particular climbing frame is "too high". If the child feels safe, has the necessary mental maturity and no serious injuries are to be expected from a simple fall, everything should be OK. As a child I climbed trees, which were definitely not safe. It helps your child not to be worried. If the risks are discussed every now and then, these can be valuable experiences for the child. But as I said, the assessment is up to the parents, because only they know their child better than anyone else.

[@Glitzerstaub]

Ich bin soeine Mama die die Kids imm etwas zu dick anzieht :D Wenn wir nur mal einen Tag 22 Grad haben und das Thermometer danach wieder auf 16 Grad sinkt, dann werden die Kids zu schnell krank von diesen Schwankungen. Ich ziehe sie dann in Schichten an. Morgens wenn es noch 13 Grad sind gibts lang hose, tshirt, darüber pulli, darüber jacke und ggf ne mütze wenn es windig ist. Dann können sie immer ein teil ausziehen wenn es wärmer wird. Aber lange hose bleibt. Nur wenn es wirklich richtig warm ist über 28 Grad dann gibts auch ne kurze hose. Seit wir das so machen wird keiner mehr krank :)

[@uncipaws7643]

I love how your son is moving at the playground. He looks quite sure of himself, a good climber, I wouldn't worry too much. Certainly remind him of the risks, but don't keep him from taking them. Now when it comes to what to wear: I hope that more parents would trust their children's sense of temperature. Children move in a different way from adults, they also have a different metabolism. When a mother shivers in her jacket, her child might be allright running around in shorts and bare feet. Or not, but at least the kid can try. Nowadays I still wear zipoff pants most of the year which allows to quickly go from long to short and back as temperatures are changing. It's ideal now in spring!

[@ExtremeTeddy]

The knife thingy is pretty normal. I remember one time in school (2nd grade) we had to bring knifes too in order to prepare our breakfast and I took the knife of my child cutlery. Unfortunately it wasn't that sharp. That day I managed to cut my palm, due to the increased strength I had to use, while cutting an apple. Pain and blood and the experience to avoid blunt knifes when applicable. A sharp knife will raise the awareness of potential cuts ...

[@christophstahl8169]

Bringing a knife to school is normal yes. Parents are used to that too, because kids used knifes in kindergarten aswell. Our kindergarten groups often went into the woods with axes cuitting wood and then carving something out of those pieces. That playground didn't look dangerous to me - it looked fun The dressing thing i noticed too. Some days you send out your kids to school and it is like 5 degrees celsius but it is expected to be 25 degrees at noon. I usuallly send them out with jackets and telll them to put them in their backpack when it gets warm.

[@NutsInAShell-xt3yd]

As an german there was a unspoke rule "dont use weapons" in a fight. Short you are weak if you have to rely on a weapon. 2 Point! Just jump from something your son is claiming on. As an adult you fear more than you have to. At mid-season the weather can change dramatically. Der April macht was er will.

[@SoneaT]

This playground is pretty normal, you should see our Abenteuerspielplatz! 😂 And this child knows how to climb, so he will do great. Have more thrust in him. Even if they fall down, they seldom are dangerously injured. They learn very early, if you don't hold yourself properly, you will fall and hurt yourself. My sohn never fell even once. And now he boulders and climbs with ropes.

[@PamAnn86]

My daughter had to bring a vegetable knife to kindergarten when she was 5, to learn how to cut different veggies. For us that was normal as she was already helping at home to prepare meals.

[@agavella_8280]

Ah same in Berlin: I was shocked when a Kinderarzt gave my 1 year old at that time daughter sallty Brezels! We call him in my family a Brezel-Arzt since than ;P

[@Bl4ckSer4ph]

@AntoinetteEmily you see, that's the problem with modern parents... as i was a kid, every boy (and many girls) had at least one knife (a folder or/and a fixed blade)... to cut some sticks, twines etc... how could you make a bow and some arrows otherwise...? and, somehow, no one got stabbed, also i have still all fingers... heck, i even used utility knives and scalpels as i was building plastic scale models... at the age of 8-9... sure, i have like 2 scars on my fingers, but these were important lessons... nowadays kids get protected from all sides and don't even have the opportunity to learn anything, so they lack even basic manual skills...

[@tannif7455]

Do you and your husband speak German or English to one another? My husband is from NZ and I grew up in Canada and Australia with German parents and also lived in Germany for 10 years, 20 years ago. My husband and our 2 teenagers are going to Germany this year as it will be their first time over and I'm looking forward to seeing my relatives again and experiencing Germany after 20 years. Cant wait. Love NZ too. We fly there more often as its closer to us.

[@MissLouiful]

I went to a “Waldorfkindergarten” (following Rudolf Steiner’s ideas) and you can say what you will generally about the philosophy but we were allowed to bring Swiss army knives to kindergarten by the age of 4. So for my fourth birthday I got a Swiss Army knife engraved with my name that I have until this day. There were very specific rules about it: always wear it on a chain attached to a belt loop, only open while sitting down, only cutting anything moving away from yourself and if no one was in front of you. We were also allowed to climb all the trees on the grounds of the kindergarten as long as the branches we were climbing on and holding on to were at least as thick as our arms. During my time there, as well as when my sister went there in the years after I had left never any accidents happened, neither with knives nor with trees. Granted this was 30 years ago, Idk if it’s still the same today.

[@docNeptun]

Regarding "winter mode": My great-grandmother had a very strong opinion about months with "r" in their names. They were or still are(?) considered "moist" months with somewhat unhealthy climate. She ,i.e., advised me to be cautious with airing my bed linnen in these months. That might have something to do with the way we dress, too.

[@Dalmen]

we have a saying in German...if the mother is freezing, the kid must dress up.

[@charis6311]

As to the knife issue - I think it depends on how well the teacher has the children under control. My daughter was taught to handle a knife in kindergarden at 3 years of age, but the group was small and there was no horsing around when a meal was being prepared. Not just for safety reasons but also out of respect for the food that was being handled. Now, a class with not so well behaved children is a different matter - especially when some of them try acting out 'martial arts' they have seen somewhere online...

[@ingaurban404]

It's totally normal to have a knife to prepare food at school.We have that at our school as well. Every fall they cook a vegetable soup together to celebrate Thanksgiving= Erntedank. But only at grade 1 and 2.❤

[@Alias_Anybody]

Knives are a bit more taboo in big cities and high society, in the countryside however it's like if the child is old enough to use a fountain pen it can handle a pocket knife.

[@viomouse]

I live in a big city and it would not be weird here. We also made baked apples in school and had to cut stuff. In kindergarten we used a saw. And in the daycare of my son, the older kids cut their own fruit and veggies.

[@BernhardGiner]

I grew up in a tiny village, more precisely on a farm, and now live with my family in a big city. I can't confirm that. From my observations, there are all kinds of people everywhere. In the city, there are just fewer opportunities outside in everyday life where knives are useful, so fewer people have them with them.

[@Tigereye-s4p]

One thing to dangerous playground….when i was small,we had a giant one only for a few houses,because we played everyday on it and it got boring(not dangerous enough) we climbed in the trees around it,very very high….my brother ones fell from it,couldn‘t breath for along time,had scratches everywhere,did it again anyway…better it would have happend on a softer ground,where nothing is poking out where you can land on…

[@tasminoben686]

Also Punktpunkt, wenn ich mir im Herbst meine Grippe Schutzimpfung für Senioren abholen, bekomme ich immer ein Tütchen Gummibärchen!…😂❤

[@schiffelers3944]

You must be so proud of you boy to be able to climb up those wooden steps, grab on to the iron bars, and slide down like a fireman. And all that without getting hurt.

[@Chara_Lar]

Yes, I agree with you about the clothes. In spring lots of people seem to have difficulties to dress appropriately. Especially in the last years when there were really warm days in winter. People just keep wearing their winter clothes - while I a walking the dog wearing light shoes, T-shirt and (perhaps) a light jacket. There is always a difference in boys and girls I see: With the first sunny days girls tend to enjoy the warmth and start wearing summer stuff. Boys still run around with winter jackets and beanies.

[@franzlsondelt2012]

I growed up with a pocket knife in my pocket, that’s normal. A sharp one, because with the other ones you will hurt your self, by learning to carve. In my time before 50 years we jumped of trees, much higher then those playgrounds. Hurt knees and elbows was normal. I am not made of porcelain and I am still alive!

[@gastonkawitzke3272]

My father teached me to sharpen a real big cutting knife at the age of 5.

[@sternenregen5489]

Es ist eine echte Unsitte, das kleinen Kindern andauernd ungefragt Süßigkeiten angeboten werden! Das hat mich genervt, als meine Tochter klein war.

[@svr5423]

Die ständige Esserei von Kohlehydraten zieht sich dann wie ein roter Faden durch die Gesellschaft. Mindestens 5 Mahlzeiten am Tag, überwiegend konzentrierte Kohlehydrate (von Nudeln bis süßem Obst), sagt die Ernährungspyramide. Fettleibigkeit und Diabetes sind dann oft vorprogrammiert.

[@MCoaler]

Regarding sweets at the doctors: You are of course free to decline. Many will ask you on beforehand if it is ok to offer them something. Also, it is much more important to limit sugar consumption during normal days, rather than the few times a year they need to go to the doctor. It is in my experience also only done when getting vaccinated or blood samples are done, not when you attend a doctor due to being sick (apart from maybe special stuff when the child’s throat is sore). The overall goal of this is IMHO that the children will associate doctor‘s visits with a positive mindset rather than developing anxiety or fear of going to the doctor‘s. Last but not least, some have like not too sweet but crunchy stuff the children are supposed to deliberately chew on while getting the needle injected, as it very much helps the pain with the distraction.

[@Rescel1]

thinking back on it i cant remember that i wasnt allowed to use sharp knifes. Only that i should be careful. And that i was realy annoyed by that sentence XD

[@Moonchild0]

same xD especially the annoyed part!

[@danielmayer7363]

German dad (living in China) here. I showed my daughter how to handle fire or a sharp knife safely when she was in kindergarten while my wife was always afraid that something could happen. I believe that forbidding it will only cause that children will do it secretly alone, without guidance or supervision, which would be much more dangerous. Nevertheless here in China it would be impossible to have the Kids bring sharp knives to school, they’re not even allowed to bring a pencil sharpener (at least now while she’s in first grade)😂. Chinese parents are over protective, but this cause that it takes a long time for the children to be independent (sometimes till the twentieth 😂)

[@Carya26]

Nice, thank you. Today, I bought the First zip-trouser for my daughter (7 years). In spring and autumn we prefer onion-style, Zwiebel-look. 😁 I think, the point is, that the difference between sun and shadow is often 5 - 10 °C. Skandi - look is coming😅

[@B.Pa.]

Ein Schulkind ist in Deutschland in der Regel mindestens 6 Jahre alt. In diesem Alter sollte es schon mal in der Küche mitgeholfen haben und wissen wie man z.B. Gurken schneidet. Kinder wollen lernen und wann wäre ein besserer Zeitpunkt, um lebenspraktische Dinge zu lernen, als dann, wenn das Kind es lernen will? Im Frühling und im Herbst kann das Wetter in Deutschland sehr wechselhaft sein. Es ist keine gute Idee, zu sommerlich angezogen zu sein, nur weil gerade die Sonne scheint, denn das kann eine halbe Stunde später ganz anders sein. Eine Jacke oder einen Pullover kann man leicht ausziehen, darunter ist dann ein T-Shirt, man kann aber nichts anziehen, was man nicht dabei hat 😂

[@Arazhul12]

It's because in spring it can be sunny im the morning and snowing in the afternoon. There might be a week of sunny weather and then again a month cold. We are just too lazy to switch to sunmer clothes and keep 2 sets of clothes ready 😂

[@marcmonnerat4850]

Playgrounds are an improvement: we used to climb trees or natural rocks. But I do understand your concern.

[@nskadi244]

Im Kindergarten arbeiten wir auch mit Messern zusammen mit den Kindern. Wir bereiten Obstsalat oder Obstkuchen, schälen verschiedene Kartoffeln und bereiten uns diese zu etc. Jedoch erfragen wir nicht die Messer von den Eltern, sondern haben Messer vor Ort. Wir haben eine vollausgestattete Küche in Kinderhöhe, in der wir in Kleingruppen Essen zubereiten können. Ein Mal im Jahr haben wir eine Projektwoche, in der aus der Hauswirtschaft Kolleginnen in die Gruppen kommen und aufwändigere Dinge machen. Ich persönlich mag es aber nicht, wenn mehr als zwei Kinder gleichzeitig mit einem Messer hantieren, ich betreue Kinder zwischen 3 und 6 Jahren und mitmachen dürfen alle, die möchten, ich passe die Gruppengröße dann an, wie viel Hilfestellung nötig ist. Meine Tochter ist in der Vorschule, auch da existiert in der Schule eine Küche mit voller Ausstattung, sie hat sogar ein Mal die Woche einen Kochkurs dort. Mein Sohn ist in seinem Kindergarten auch manchmal beim kochen und backen dabei. Also… absolut normal.

[@nskadi244]

Das Thema mit der Kleidung, die zu warm ist, nervt mich während der Arbeit immer extrem. Wir gehen zum Spielplatz und die Hälfte der Kinder ist zu warm gekleidet. Morgens ist es oft noch kühl, aber eine Sweatjacke einfach mit an den Haken hängen, wäre ja echt nicht schwer. Aber bei 18 Grad ist es bei Wind manchmal zu kühl für keine Jacke, aber diese sollte definitiv keine Daunenjacke sein.

[@TheWuschelMUC]

re vaccinations: we had "Reihenimpfungen" about every year at school. Smallpox vaccinations were compulsory, and polio vaccinations probably had a turnout of close to 100 per cent. The parental consent forms were soon nicknamed "Schlachtscheine" (slaughter certificates).

[@madeleine6758]

The observation with the winter clothes is so accurate 😂 it makes me laugh…I am 100% like that

[@larisalariyoga2586]

😊About wearing shorts… I think this goes for whole Europe, whenever there is a letter R in the name of the month you should not sit on earth floor, not even on a very sunny day, bacause the ground is still cold and you can catch a cold. That is true and you can actually feel that. So I would say in our mind this is also not the time for shorts😅 so only May-August😊

[@esthertadesse132]

I guess I still "overdress". But it's not really that, it dressing in layers like an onion. So you can peel off the layers when it get's warmer. Because it can still be fresh to cold in the mornings. Like I said, I still do that now when it's 15 degrees in the morning on my way to work and 25 degrees when I go home 😅

[@marge2548]

Measles vaccinations: Measles in fact my cause of late onset symptoms. Eg, if one is prone to asthma, this may be started through having the measles. It is furthermore known by now that in some (few) cases someone who suffered from the measles may develop measles enecephalitis even years after actually getting ill. And if this happens, this is always fatal. Cognitive functions will decline over the course of months inevitably, and the person suffering from the condition, be it child or grown up person, will eventually die, after having gone blind, deaf and mute in the process. It is rare, but it is seriously nothing I would want anyone to have endure, as a patient or a relative.

[@MaxMustermann-vu8ir]

I can relate to the part with the clothing. Some people here in Germany get stuck in winter mode for too long in my opinion. In spring there can be some really warm days followed by really cold days. Just last week there was one sunny day with 27(?) degrees so I took my 5 year old daughter to the kindergarten in a t-shirt. Then I realized that she was among a very small group of children wearing t-shirts. I think it's deeply routed in the culture. I spent much of my childhood in Africa so the only season I was familiar with was summer. I guess that's why I love summer so I'm desperate to get the best of every warm and sunny day even in March 😀 As for the knives: My daughter always gets a sharp knife so she can help prepare dinner. It started when she was 3 or 4 years old. Back then it made me nervous and I was ready to intervene at any given second. But now she has mastered the tool 😉

[@emiliajojo5703]

Measle vaccination is important and super-safe.nothing to worry about.

[@mathildewesendonck7225]

Very true. I‘m a doctor, and I‘ve seen a few cases of measles encephalitis over the years. It is absolutely heartbreaking 💔 😭