Germans Take Their Kids to BREWERIES?! | SHOCKING Kid-Friendly Spaces

[@шибкоумнаяоднако]

They have an excavator on the playground. An excavator that kids can operate! Those people definitely remember how they were kids.

[@kieskop4684]

I think alot of dads have a fight within them."I want on it too""😂😂

[@jonathanfinan722]

There are four digger based theme parks for kids in the UK called Diggerland. Very popular.

[@шибкоумнаяоднако]

​@@kieskop4684 I'm a female and I would run into it screaming "Lemme in!". Girls love such things too!

[@Elchaeffchen]

You can see this kind of setup quite often in germany :-)

[@LiveFreeOrDieDH]

I've seen excavators for kids in US playgrounds, but they were mechanical using levers. Not powered.

[@gozerthegozarian9500]

When I was a child and the day came when the ladies at the meat counter stopped offering me the free slice of Wurst I'd become accustomed to, I felt both a little hurt and a little proud - hurt because it felt like a withdrawal of affection and proud because, in my childhood mind, it meant that I was now practically a grown-up. I must've been about 5 or 6.

[@walkir2662]

I'm a bit astonished to hear shops still do that, I heard so much stuff about picky parents making it an issue, My niece couldn't even bring a cake to the Kindergarten at her birtthday.^

[@fatefulseven]

it is a rite of passage

[@maylinde986]

I remember that from the Apotheke ..allways wanted to come with because of the treets you got ..

[@Narda185]

@@walkir2662The kindergarten is probably because of allergies and cultural differences and probably because some parents want less / no sugar for their kids. I don’t mind with mine, but I understand that reasoning.

[@catslikewitches1332]

@@walkir2662, @Narda185 Shops are still doing it, but ask the parent first, if it is ok. The reasons therefore are a) a kid gets accustomed to getting something and in the case it was forgotten (e.g. because there were so many other clients) it might have a tantrum, so the parents take the responsebility for the gift (and the rule for "not taking something from strangers is applied with it) b) the parent can ask the child if it even wants the sausage, cheese etc. c) as mentioned somewhere else - allergies d) is a new one, but in some butchers there are vegetarian options ... In regards to the cake in the kindergarten: No Kindergarten will deny a "birthday"party, BUT it has to be talked about with the teacher beforehand for there might be regulations and preferences AND to make it a special occasion for all the kids. I'm speaking out of my experiences as a mother of 4 ...

[@Titus63714]

Sometimes you need a refreshing look from outside to remember what there is for children in Germany. As a German with children, I have previously perceived Germany as less child-friendly because these facts have become so self-evident. The "American" view of so many things here in this channel is so enriching...I love this channel

[@berndb3141]

Agreed. You usally hear how non-childfriendly Germany is. A refreshing view

[@freaeulein_me]

I had the opposite experience when we lived in Italy. Everyone said that in Italy everyone is child friendly. Which is true. People are so friendly to children. But life is not organised child - or family friendly at all. We had 4 little ones at that time: bathroom situation, high chairs, kids menues or drinks, space for prams, breast feeding in public spaces etc was always an issue and quite tough for a young family. I only started to value the options I had Germany after this experience

[@franziskabertram3286]

Same for me. As a German I only see things we could/should improve on. To be more child-friendly or family-friendly. But it is nice to be reminded that quite a few things are good here and that we just take for granted.

[@MBrieger]

True (in Part). The persistent American fault is being overly protective or sh*tting in your Pants all day long. When I grew up in Germany, I walked to School and that was a Distance. High School was a Bus. In the US, if you don't drive your Kid everywhere, it is child neglect and you can be fined. That is seriously nuts. But that is indeed a Problem with American Society. Armed to the Teeth and peeing the Pants. It would be inconceivable to have a Walmart with a Play area due to possible Lawsuits if something happens. I mean who is going to check the Stuff, if there is no TUV around?

[@cerliezio]

As an Italian I say welcome to civilistion. There are DM shops all over Germany Italy and Croatia and other countries in Europe.

[@catandmousech]

When I first arrived in Germany to work, the work regulations dutifully explained that alcoholic beverages were forbidden on the premises, no surprise. The surprise was that there were beer dispensers next to the coffee machines and that beer was available in the works canteen! I finally plucked up courage to ask one of my colleagues (originally from Greece) and he explained to me that in Bavaria beer was not an alcoholic beverage, but considered as "normal food".

[@johnmccallum8512]

Of course it's food, here in the UK it's often called a liquid lunch.🤣

[@sandralison7584]

But it's only in Bawaria. The rest of Germany is not like that.

[@Vagabund09]

I myself worked in Bavaria for years and never experienced anything like this. But I've heard that it used to be like that. So it depends on what time we're talking about!

[@simon2083]

@@johnmccallum8512in Germany it’s called liquid bread 😋 flüssig Brot

[@jobicek]

@@simon2083 It's the same in Bohemia. I think Czech law still allows consumption of beer in hot environments. Think furnaces, steel and glass manufacturing. Courtesy of your employer (it's considered hydration). I believe it has to do with sweating and mineral content of beer.

[@Syl-Vee]

When we lived in Frankfurt, Germany, my husband and I used to love going to Frühschoppen on Sunday mornings at a local bar. So great to see families with happy children (and dogs) -- in outside seating in good weather -- with adults enjoying beer, food and live jazz jams. Good fun where the whole community, regardless of age or household status, can congregate and communicate together in person.

[@ane-louisestampe7939]

Danish rail has a Childrens train with a couple of departures Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon, going from one end of the country to the other. On board are "guides" who take care of the kids, so they can travel alone - safely. We can it the Divorce Train. I can not stress how fantastic this arrangement is for parents who live hours apart. Personally I loved, that I can take two kids under 12 on any public transport FOR FREE. Let's go! - and the usual praise: You make brilliant videos and I learn about both Germany and the US in one session

[@alinac5512]

Very cool concept

[@protectedname4476]

Thanks for your „love letters“ to germans and germany. This helps me to recognize what i elsewise would habe taken for granted. ❤

[@pigoff123]

We used to go to a Greek restaurant and after dinner the group of us would have a few shots of drinks. They would match my daughters shot colors with ours using apple juice etc. We always had a few before walking home. No big deal in Germany. We didnt get drunk or rowdy. Just had fun.

[@realroadrunnr]

We had a similar experience at a Greek restaurant in our town. Our son was just shy of two years old at the time. We were sitting outside and I had ordered a Radler. When it came my son wanted to drink the same. The waiter was so quick on his feet, he just grabbed my son's glass of Apfelschorle, took it to the counter, acted a bit and then came back with the glass exactly as it was before. But it sure fooled my son and he was happy :D

[@BernhardGiner]

The 3-year-old son of friends was very enthusiastic about his bike tour weekend. When asked what he liked best, he said: "drinking schnapps" 😂😂 (he just thought it was great to get a shot (with apple juice) like the adults)

[@pavelmacek282]

A bit off the topic but I´m glad someone finally showed the difference between German (and EU generally for that matter) and US public restrooms and why we don´t mind paying 50 cents to 1 euro for using them...

[@Andrei2patrU]

let's not kid ourselves, the bathrooms can still be dirty when you pay for them and the payment system in train stations and the like are mostly to prevent homeless people from using them. They are still better than the ones in north America but having seen what public bathrooms look like in South Korea and Japan, we have a loong way to go.

[@Dries007BE]

In Belgium, often times you get a ticket with a discount for the price of the bathrooms on rest stops.

[@pavelmacek282]

@@Andrei2patrU never said the system is perfect, so surely that can happen. However, never ever happened to me to see a dirty bathroom on the train station as there is always someone to clean them regularly. Plus the newly installed outdoor/street restrooms have the self-cleaning process so haven´t seen that either...

[@xxx_phantom_xxxw_t_a9479]

Here in Switzerland, I initially resisted paying 1 CHF for using the toilet, until I noticed that most of them are sparkling and clean every time I visit. That as such is worth it to me if I really have to.

[@Andrei2patrU]

@@pavelmacek282 @xxx_phantom_xxxw_t_a9479 , I agree with both of you and those bathrooms where you pay to enter are spotless , especially the rest stop ones. I was just pointing better ones, there's no reason not to continue seeking improvement. Both in South Korea and Japan, the public bathrooms are both free and spotless. There is regular cleaning staff that does its job well and also makes sure the bathrooms are stocked as well. There is also always one within reach. Whether I pay 50 cents or 1 euro from my pocket or from my taxes, I don't have a problem with that either way but I'd rather have more of them and assure that all of them are spotless. PS edit: I feel that having companies in the same way we have garbage collection companies dealing the cleaning would also prevent some possible exploitation of labor. I have the feeling that some if not most of the people cleaning the bathrooms now are poorly paid

[@manofresco]

Walking by a kids' playground here in Spain, where they worked the swings as high as they could, balanced several kids at a time on the see-saw and scrabbled to used a pretty long zip-wire, my visiting American friend asked, "Where's the adult supervision, who's in charge?" There was none. the kids were happily playing an watching out for themselves. "Wouldn't happen in the states e,v,e,r", my friend remarked.

[@markusstudeli2997]

It's because of the difference in health care and litigation culture. In Europe, if a kid falls down a swing and brakes a leg, the parents would take the blame themselves, take the kid to the doctor and have the leg fixed for almost nothing. In the US, they would blame the owner of the playground or the constructor of the swing and take it to court, as they could not afford having the leg fixed, in case they don't have an accident insurance for the kid.

[@walkir2662]

As the oldest in the group, I often *was* the "adult supervision to my cousins in the 80s. Not on a playground, but at a little creek dammed up in a small wooded patch, at a big hole someone had built a roof over. I couldn't have screamed loud enough for the adults to hear us if anything serious had happened, but nothing ever did.

[@reginakeith8187]

It used to be like that in the US when I was a kid back in the 70s. That's precisely the stuff my friends and I used to do when we went to the playground by ourselves. Europe of today sounds way more like my American childhood before all the litigious helicopter parents happened.

[@Garagantua]

@@reginakeith8187 I'm not sure its fair to blame the parents. If after insurance you're expected to pay 20k for a broken leg and a someone said "hey, maybe you can get that money from the company who put in the playground", I get that you'd sue.

[@lilaluna8922]

​@tedtimberson4262as I child free person living in Freiburg, I can confirm there are children around. It depends on the time of day, though. Playgrounds are usually only full after school hours and kids running around with carts in stores are mostly a thing in the morning hours

[@e.albrecht4033]

We germans love our beer gardens in summer. And nearly every beer garden has a playground for children. That is our culture especially in southern germany. The prices in the beergardens in the countryside are cheaper than in a pub. All is family friendly and affordable. And the beer in the stein tastes so good.

[@johnhendriks4085]

Here in the Netherlands I took my young daughters with us in a restaurant. Most restaurants have special children chairs. Especially when there was a children playground outside, it was also more relaxing for us to enjoy the meal. Later when they were at the age of 10, they became curious what we were drinking (wine). We let them taste a little in a glass with a little wine mixed with water. This is very common in France as well.

[@marchurnik]

Well practice in Germany too - best possible way to teach a responsible way of acting and skills.

[@claudiograssi1037]

In Italy it's the same.

[@davidjewell]

Congratulations upon respecting your children’s long term and short term privacy by blurring their faces. Too many parents on the Web seem to use their kids to monetise their videos. Keep up the great work and thanks for presenting Germany to the world through the eye of a parent. We have taken our daughter to Germany from Australia 3 times, the first when she was only 11 months old and it is a very community minded and child friendly place.

[@MaoZhu-j6q]

There is a fundamental difference between Europe, including the UK, and the USA. When it comes to public facilities such public transport, health care, and motorway service areas. The priority in Europe is to provide a service, whereas in the USA the priority is to provide a profit. As far as I have seen in the USA if it does not make a profit it is at the bottom of the list of priorities. Yes we have higher taxes in Europe and the UK, but overall we have lower expenditure in our day-to-day living because public facilities are cheaper because they are not there to make huge profits for some faceless corporation that worries about nothing other than where the next dollar is coming from.

[@bwest-yq3uc]

Amen! The dollar rules in the USA be it child care or health care or transportation. The benefit of the citizens NEVER enters in their thinking when making decisions on important public or private project. Just look how we do our health care. Most bankruptcies are due to health care bills and this is with people that HAS HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE! It is criminal. But our elected officials do nothing cause the lobbyists are paying them off. WHAT A TERRIBLE SYSTEM. AMERICA NEEDS TWO NEW ADDITIONAL PARTIES OF WE CAN HAVE MORE CHOICES BESIDES " PEPSI OR COKE"!

[@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vl]

In Germany many breweries have their own restaurant - at least at the location of their production. Now, in that context the term restaurant needs a bit more explanation: those restaurants aren't just a particular place to eat particularly prepared meals. In fact they' re often good places to discover dishes particular of the surrounding region. But what's even more important is that they're like a merger of a pub and a restaurant. And particularly if the location is within a village or town such brewery restaurants can be a kind of meeting point of a local community. Hence many of them have always been more or less kids friendly. It's just that they've put more and more efforts to improve their kid friendlyness over the years. Some 30 to 40 years ago, you would have been asked by a waitress or waiter if they should bring some paper and crayons to allow the children to draw pictures - alternatively a cardboard game. Today many offer a desgnated area with games and toys, a ball pool, structures for climbing structures for climbing - inside or outside of the building, sometimes even both.

[@TypeAshton]

Yes! Our local little village has our own brewery and brewery-restaurant. In the summer time, we LOVE sitting outside in their garden. In addition to the tables they have a swing set and slide for kids. It is small, but it is also only just a short walk from the stadtgarden and park with an even bigger play area for kids. Many parents will go into the restaurant/garden for a drink/snack while the bigger kids play.

[@pigoff123]

I have ate a a few breweries

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

Guten Tag. Even if it is just across the Rhine, Colmar has not as many kid-friendly places, but you are welcome to visit. By the way I think it would be a good idea for a video to show how close you are to Switzerland and France.

[@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vl]

Salü Alsace!

[@petebeatminister]

You have probably no idea how much the Autobahn Raststätten have improved really, since its restructuring under the Servais company. :) Before they took over, basically each Raststätte was run by a different owner, who had rented the place from the state. And they took it as a licence to print money, at least most of them. The conditions in those place were usually just one step away from being shut down by the Gewerbeaufsichtsamt for the lack of hygiene. Both in the food section - which was usually just a smudgy imbiss with extortionate prices - all the way to the toilets and bathrooms. You would only want to go there if you are starving and its 1 am on a sunday. What we have today really looks like paradise in comparison.

[@jwenting]

don't remember them that bad. Then again it's been decades since I've been inside one. Back then they were indeed highly variable, but the good ones were very good (and we had a list of the ones to avoid and would arrange our long range travel plans to bypass them).

[@Mayagick]

You can't have it more Schwarzwald, Black Forest-like with a beer brand "little pine cone", Tannenzäpfle

[@51pinn]

Liebe Ashton, es ist immer wieder wunderbar, Dir dabei zu zuhören, wenn Du beschreibst, was für Vorzüge Deutschland hat. Wir Deutschen sehen das vielleicht nicht mehr so und deshalb ist es umso wichtiger, wieder einmal eine Blick von aussen auf unser Land zu bekommen. Man muss aber ehrlicherweise auch sagen, dass die Region, die Ihr Euch als Wahlheimat ausgesucht habt außergewöhnlich schön ist. Ich glaube schon, dass- wenn Ihr in einer Metropolregion leben würdet - Deine Berichte etwas anders aussehen würden. Ich wünsche Euch einen schönen Sonntag. Ralph

[@baramuth71]

Nur um das auch mal ehrlich zu sagen, die Metropolregionen hier in Deutschland sind immer noch weitaus besser und komfortabler als so manche Region in den USA. Wenn man sich so einige Videos hier auf Y.T. so anschaut da bekommt man das Grausen.

[@urlauburlaub2222]

Man kann aber auch so argumentieren, dass Deutschland echte "Metropolregionen" hat, in denen diese Strukturen sowohl im Stadtbereich wie auch im Außenbezirk existieren. Und darunter zählt der Schwarzwald. Gerade in den Vergleichsvideos USA - Deutschland wird das deutlichst hervorgehoben, dass US-Innenstädte und Suburbs eben was anderes sind. Das Aussterben der deutschen Struktur findet eher im ohnehin sehr kleinen nicht-urbanen Raum statt, oder eben in der Stadt aus reinem Kindermangel oder Einschränkungen der Sicherheit. Bzw. jetzt ein bisschen durch das Wegbrechen des Einzelhandels.

[@bzdtemp]

Däne hier mit viele besuche in Deutschland. Kein platz in Der Welt is perfekt. Aber Deutschland macht so viel richtig und jeden Deutscher denn ich getroffen hat war immer freundlich und hilfreich.

[@steffenriedel4752]

@@bzdtemp Dänemark ist auch sehr schön.

[@roschue]

Wenn man Europa nicht verlässt, dann kann man das schon vergessen, wie gut man es hier hat. Ich reise oft auch auf andere Kontinente, dann wird einem auch bewusst, wie gut wir es in Deutschland haben.

[@mortuos557]

I'm still getting the Fleischwurstscheibe whenever I get to the Metzger in my Home village. I'm over thirty 😂 and obviously since I am a bigger kid i need a bigger slice 😉

[@marryof995]

I still often get a Kaffeegipfel or something similar extra from my bakery when i bring the bread to my mums every saturday and i'm 39 ^^

[@Mozartkugel]

Rothaus brewery is fantastic and the Tannenzäpfle is widely beloved in all of Südbaden. 👍 Practically across the street there’s also the Hüsli, which is a museum for local history and is even better known as the filming location of the german 80‘s TV show „Die Schwarzwaldklinik“, where it served as a home for family Brinkmann, the show’s protagonists. From there you can go on several hiking routes ranging from short to really extensive. I‘d recommend taking a walk around lake Schlüchtsee. ♥️ A great area to spend a sunny or snowy afternoon in!

[@jay0kew]

Rest rooms in Germany are absolute "TOP level". They are clean and spacious. Even in restaurants and cafés. Sometimes i feel guilty when i spill soap on the sink while washing my hands and i start cleaning it because i want to leave it in the same clean condition as i found it. Rest rooms in France on the other hand.... That is a different story...

[@katinsu7700]

I find restrooms in France actually pretty ok these days. They used to be a bit grim, but not any longer.

[@uliwehner]

i remember traveling in France in the 80s, and i found the one on the toll roads quite good. I drove a truck, so restrooms were always highway restrooms

[@manuelvo1798]

do not use the restrooms that are in trains then ;D they are the worst! Also with public restrooms near the "Autobahn" it depends. If you pay for them, they are usually clean, but if they are for free its like hell on earth.

[@freaeulein_me]

The restroom situation in France has changed a lot. We are traveling a lot and found that Germany, Austria, Switzerland an France are really great for family bathrooms along the motorway. But the Sanifair ones in Germany are really the best

[@captainchaos3667]

I remember those French rest stop toilets from my youth. They were just absolutely awful stinking holes in the ground that you had to squat over. Not a word of a lie.

[@K__a__M__I]

Disneyland: No food allowed, Rest area outside of park grounds. Phantasialand: Bring your own snacks; frequent sit-down spots, many playgrounds between attractions. That's one big difference in child-friendly culture i keep coming back to when it comes to this topic.

[@DisinterestedObserver]

When I was a kid, playgrounds in the US were more adventurous places. Now, everything is dictated by rules so the dreaded lawyers won’t sue the playground owner for creating some hazard. One more thing, long before there were large grocery megastores for shopping, there were the small local markets, usually owned and run by someone in the neighborhood, where parents and kids were welcomed by name.

[@andrelam9898]

I was going to make the same comment. When we first started visiting the Canada and US from the Netherlands starting back in 1977, my parents loved it here. McDonalds were convenient to stop at on long road trip days. With no audio books, no portable tech, and I couldn't read in a car without getting car sick, those stops were critical. Clean bathrooms, nice play area outside and the food was cheap and for us a new novelty. For us the great excitement was getting a motel with a pool in the middle of the parking lot. With US and Canadian summers being plenty warm, my sister and I went swimming as soon as my dad inspected the room and gave a thumbs up. In the last two decades, all the outdoor and indoor play areas have disappeared. I blame the litigious nature of Americans. I commented elsewhere that it makes a big difference if you nations health, vs. $2000 ER visit if your kid takes an unexpected tumble. Playgrounds in the Netherlands were EPIC back in those times. I haven't raised kids there so I have no idea if they are still as amazing. I do know Lineushof if still around (near Haarlem) and it's Europe's largest playground. Almost nothing motorized... all play and kids using up their own energy. It's a shame. Restaurants ARE kid friendly at the table in the US, special high chairs, paper and crayons, etc, but virtually no cool play areas. A few communities have nice playgrounds, but many were torn down when there was concern about the chemicals used to prevent the wood from rotting. If you didn't literally chew on the playground you'd be OK. Sadly that took out many large playgrounds in our area. They were replaced with coated steel units are a mere shadow of the previous play grounds.

[@conniebruckner8190]

I like to see it when museums hand over a stepping stool to parents so that the kids can better see the displays. Little by little this is happening here in Vienna. When our daughter was small 30+ years ago, we would end up with aching backs after a museum visit.

[@cinnamoon1455]

Something I enjoy is that many museums, even if they're not geared towards kids per se, offer great options to entertain your kids. Like quizzes or films that explain the topic in a more accessible and fun way etc. a good example near you (though in Switzerland) is the Tinguely Museum in Basel. They offer workshops, special family tours etc. and I really enjoy places like this where kids can see that art can be fun and interactive. Another brilliant place is the Technorama Winterthur, though that is arguably more geared towards families.

[@markweaver1012]

Brewpubs and summer beer gardens are common places for people to take kids in the US -- at least in my own state of Michigan (a few states still have antiquated laws about kids being in 'drinking establishments'). Beer gardens, especially, often have lots of space and outdoor games ('cornhole' -- beanbag toss) is especially popular. It's fun to sit around with a beer and watch kids run around and play (my own are now grown up).

[@uncipaws7643]

Wait until you take a Swiss intercity train. Some of them (double deck) have a playground with a slide in the cab car. Children have a natural urge to move and that is satisfied there in a very nice way. And enjoy your Rothaus. It's a good beer.

[@McGhinch]

Being kid friendly is an attitude to life. Many of our professionals have children in their life's environment. They treat children with respect, especially when they are well behaved. When I was in the traveling the USA children were mostly absent or felt more like a nuisance because of the almost obvious absence of kid friendly attractions. A kid friendly attraction can also be a little table with books for the little ones in a waiting area. Rothaus is certainly going the extra mile, but it is also a clever marketing strategy. When your children are content on the playground, you may probably sit a bit longer and have a coffee or dessert aftter your meal...

[@susannelachmuth3670]

Yes, and I guess "sitting for a little longer" is exactly what American restaurants don't want you to do. They might bring your coffee and just seconds later pull out the chair under your butt to seat the next guests in line who are waiting to purchase the next full meal...

[@Dirrly]

As a german it's really refreshing to have a look on germany through your eyes. Sometimes I focus to much on the things that don't work very well in germany. You often help to recognise the things that work well, even if they are just tiny little things I would otherwise take for granted.

[@PhilipS-t3e]

10:13 groceries shopping hint for Duesseldorf - please try the "Bauerngarten Benninghoven" in Gerresheim 😉 and if you plan on taking your kids with you - the "Wildpark Grafenberg" is right around the corner and the deers are always waiting for apples and carrots 😉 dont take the dry food that they sell there - the animals are already spoiled 😜 And Edeka Zurheide should be visited for sure! 😉

[@Chaos2Go]

It's funny when I read the title with the brewery, I expected something different because when I was a child, which was now over 40 years ago, my father and I visited the brewery in my hometown and the tour took us there cellar, where all the vats were where the beer was fermenting

[@walkir2662]

I was immediately thinking of our day trip to the Andechs Monastery in 10th grade. Well, over a decade off...

[@pigoff123]

We went on road trips all around Europe growing up. I remember my brothers and me playing on playgrounds in cemetaries while my father did geneology research all over Europe. I also remember driving to poland with friends. They still had privies instead of real restrooms. My daughter wouldnt go in them so she went in the woods. She did that to when we were canoeing the Rhein. Stopped on an island and she went in the trees to go.

[@shift-happens]

I love your videos about how we treat/view children in German so much

[@bluebell7152]

When my children were little, I was always struck by how much more child friendly the entire society seems to be in places like Spain than in Germany. Children are just about welcome everywhere over there and never seen as a nuisance as they are in many places in Germany. I never stopped to think about how places are designed can make so much difference in how child friendly they appear.

[@islandgirl75]

Re supermarkets: We taught our daughter when she was still young that the more reasonably priced/cheaper products are mostly in the lowest shelf. It was convenient to let her shop with us because she could always reach those better when she was little :D Also, my kid wandered away from me and I followed her, only to find her arranging stuff on a shelf because she had found some product somewhere else where it didn't belong and was bringing it back to the right place. The supermarket stocking lady told me to go shop and she'd watch my kid. 15 mins later, I went back and my kid had a workers vest on and the lady was like...ok when can we hire her 🤣 My kid was 3.5. Brewery recommendation with your kids: Vulkanbrauerei in the Eifel (Mendig). They have the deepest Bierkeller in Germany (and a mini playground in the Biergarten - definitely not as epic as the one you showed).

[@germankitty]

Not exactly an everyday place/event you just casually drop in to, but still a quite enriching experience. Our local theater puts on special concerts for kids, from elementary-school age onwards to high school. Sunday mornings for the young kids, weekday early evenings for teens; and it's classical but kid-friendly music (like "Peter and the Wolf", a musical fairy tale by Sergej Prokovyev for example, "Hollywood Hits for Kids", or more easily accessible pieces like Ravel's "Bolero", which is a great introduction to instruments), with a full orchestra and age-appropriate explanations. Admission is just €5/€7 per child/adult, and is a fantastic way to expose them to live music that doesn't come with a light show and a dozen amps, as well as theater in general. They've even started putting on "Baby Concerts" for toddlers, who can actually cavort around the stage during the performance. (Never mind the annual Christmastime plays for kids -- NOT a nativity play! -- or the fact that my city actually has plays and music throughout the year at the local opera house.) Oh, and we have playground equipment in several spots all along the main shopping street downtown for preschoolers -- or the old standby at Walmart-type stores where you can find coin-operated cars, steam engines and the like for a quick break/treat. Also, the two major shoe stores have the kids' section in their respective basements, and slides for the kids to get down and play on while the parents choose shoes for them to try on.

[@klausbuck7069]

In Georgia (the state in the US), the craft breweries that I have visited are kid friendly with games and space for children to run around. A significant number of the (adult) customers are parents with small children.

[@klausbuck7069]

@user-jq9qo7wm9n Where have you been? I don't know of any craft breweries that aren't kid friendly. They're often after-church gathering places for family and friends.

[@wolkewolke7704]

I own some forrest. When my younger son was just 8 years old we worked there and my mother in law tried to start a new motor saw. She couldn`t so my son told her to let go and started it for her. That was the moment when I had to do work in the woods I took my son with me and taught him the work beginning with 8 years. It needed double the time as if I would have done it by myself ... but at least he was safe and never tried to work with the saw just by himself and he leaned early on how to work properly

[@bex2940]

When i grew up in germany one of my favorite things to do was to go to restaurants with my parents. Many of them have their own playgrounds and even if they don't, at least you get some coloured pencils and paper so you can draw while you wait for the food. Plus most restaurants have a seperate kids menu with simple meals most kids love, which is great for picky eaters. Really can't imagine living in a country where most restaurants aren't kids friendly, cause i've never seen a restaurant that isn't here in germany.

[@Bildernaut]

Thanks for the Video! Not everything is bad in Germany. Some people on social media seem to have never looked at our country and what it has to offer from the outside.

[@Lysandra-8]

Another very nice and informative video. 😊 Not everything is perfect here and Germany definitely has its downsides. But we are on the right track and maybe not doing everything as it should be, but we are improving step by step

[@charlesunderwood6334]

Many British pubs are very happy to have well behaved children (and dogs) during the day, and many country pubs have play areas in the garden.

[@pigoff123]

When we were young and went shopping with my mom the bakeries and butcher stores gave out treats too. The beverage store gave us candy. I got to take my daughter as I got older. It was amazing. When visiting my mom I took my grand daughter and she got treats too.

[@marge2548]

At least in the rural areas, they still do. The beverage store (where you will get not only beer or other alcoholic beverages, but predominantly other stuff as well as bubbling water) still gives out candy to kids at our place.

[@pigoff123]

Nice. They give nothing here in the south.

[@marge2548]

@@pigoff123 It probably depends... I see it less in larger cities and more in the countryside.

[@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vl]

Hello Ashton! Great video here. "Rothaus" is a much loved institution. Actually, no joking, it is owned by the state of Baden-Württemberg. And their Pils beer is one of my absolute favourite ones. Their restaurant is also worth being mentioned as preparing very good meals. And due to their quite isolated location in the middle a large forrest area they offer venison and other meals according to the season of the year.

[@nopenopenopenopenopers]

As long as a brewery serves food, kids are allowed at them (though they can't sit at the bar). At the local farmer's market anyone (of any age) can help themselves to samples, and there's a playground in the back of the market for little kids.

[@Omneyvdwatering]

German rasstadte are absolutely amazing. There are also grocery stores in the Netherlands which have carts, play areas and often free fruit. During carnaval (or locally called vastenavond) the Monday has a whole show on the main market square for children. All the cafes are very child friendly that day where they can dance and play.

[@awijntje14]

We regularly go to the market and our 6 year old is basically spoiled rotten, he gets cheese, fruit, cookies or bread and a mini stroopwafel.. Love that this subject is something i had never thought about but indeed has greatly "improved" the experience of having kids and how we live and raise them. As to places that "surprise" me for their child friendliness has to be farms that sell produce directly to consumers. These often have play areas but also areas where the kids can interact with the farm animals. We have several close by that sell amazing products and are entertaining for children. Have a wonderful sumday and see you next week.

[@grizfan93]

I've noticed many similar things after moving to Portugal. The US has a very narrow and somewhat Puritanical definition of "family friendly" that often results in spaces that are really only good for children, or only good for adults. Here in Portugal, public spaces are much more inclusive for all ages, and as a result, you see families together a lot more than I remember when we lived in the western US. Also, something I've seen at the shopping malls here (which, BTW are thriving). These malls have 3 types of bathrooms; regular adult bathrooms, changing rooms for kids in diapers, and these toddler bathrooms that are scaled down versions of adult bathrooms perfect for a kid just out of diapers. I thought that is a great idea. Give those young kids a greater sense of independence, and no need to bring a little girl into the men's room with dad, or vise versa.

[@SarimDeLaurec]

My gramp had to take me between 3 of the many playgrounds in our small town when he was tasked to take care of me. When I was done, he took me on his bike to the next specified playground. :)

[@BurningThirdRome]

Greetings from Freiburg.🇩🇪🍻👍

[@Otte74]

10:30 did this with my son when he was 4 yrs old: we cut out some offers from the paper, glued them on a sheet - his shopping list. Then he was my "delivery person" - picking up his items (and sometimes a hot wheels car). Now he is 8 and I sometimes send him on his own, just waiting at the cashier to pay. 👍🏻

[@realroadrunnr]

And now I know how to have an easier time when I have to go grocery shopping with my 4yo. Thank you very much :D

[@RustyDust101]

Hi Ashton. Great seeing you again despite your heavy load as a mom AND youtuber. As a single guy without kids I rarely spend any thoughts on the tribulations parents have to go through. Mind you, that's not to say that I don't empathize if these are explained to me, but they just aren't of everyday importance to me personally. But I do appreciate it when I get to see a community spending effort and resources to make it more friendly for all members of a family to enjoy themselves. Kids should be an integral part, not tacked on as an afterthought. When the whole concept is well meshed so that parents are assisted everyway reasonably possible they won't feel as stressed, allowing them to present themselves as such to their kids as well. Despite what many people may think, kids pick up on their parents' emotions VERY early on. It may not be that it's a conscious notion if their parents are stressed but at least on a subconscious level. This will also influence the kids' emotions and reactions, positively or negatively. Note: influence, not magically mind controlled. Kids will still be kids, throw tantrums at times, scream, yell, run around, bonk into things, cry, laugh, etc. But they definitely pick up on parents being stressed out of their minds. So reducing the stress factors for parents may assist in reducing the stress factors on kids in a once-removed position. And a happy kid is a huge boost to parents emotions and relaxation as well. Or that's what I have gathered from my remote observation. Btw: when you visit breweries here you may get a chance for Fassbrause. Which is a fermented, non-alcoholic fizzy drink. You might call it a soda, but it actually isn't. Because it's not the soda that makes it fizzy but the fermentation. Some are made to be more adult oriented with even slightly bitter yet refreshing flavors, others are far sweeter and more for kids. Breweries have noticed the falling numbers of beer drinkers and have begun expanding into other drinks, alcohol as well as non-alcoholic that still use many of the tools and equipment that breweries have access to.

[@gingermany6223]

We potty trained a toddler while living in Germany and I agree, there seemed to be a lot more kids friendly places in Germany than back here in the USA (although our DM did not have that many kids friendly things!). Every little shop had free snack for kids (banana at the green grocers, little sausage at the butcher, small cookie at the baker). We often biked to the zoo along the Isar River. The nearest beer hall even had an indoor play area that was staffed to watch your kids while you ate.

[@renebhnyc2910]

I lived in Germany throughout the nineties, I've been in NYC since then. By the way, I'm from not far from Germany, down south. Probably you have some idea??Ashton I could listen to you 24/7 :)) You are in my opinion very intelligent and eloquent young woman. Best wishes to you and your whole family in Freiburg 🤞👋

[@Kivas_Fajo]

In Swabia at the butchers: "A Rädle Wurschd für de'Gloi?" ="Eine Scheibe Wurst für den Kleinen?" 🙂 Memories...

[@guyds9287]

On the trains in switzerland they have entire playgrounds with a slide and a climbing thingy in the family section

[@SarahAndreaRoycesChannel]

Yay, I just clicked on it and it is about , as I hoped, about "Rothaus". My late uncle was a fan and did it many times, but I moved away and never joined him - but I was always a bit curious.

[@nedludd7622]

When I was a child decades ago, we had a house in a rural area in the Midwest in a forest and with a small swamp nearby. Oh, we also had an old outhouse a couple of hundred yards from the house. Sometimes after playing outdoors building plank bridges in part of the swamp for example, we kids would use the outhouse instead of going back into the house. We never got ill or had allergies.

[@mummamarsh1180]

Gday Ashton, happy Sunday from Japan. So wonderful to see you and your beautiful family. It’s great to know how well children and families are catered for in Germany. Love the family areas on the train. I agree , it is so refreshing to see this consideration . I will share your findings with my daughter, to see if she has noticed the same in Cologne. Thank you for your lovely video xx

[@huha47]

We in the German speaking European areas can bring our kids to where alcohol can be consumed, whereas it's not the same in the US; however, young kids in the US are allowed to go shooting with real bullets. Makes sense, oder?

[@mulraf]

Wait, they are? Never heard of that

[@Hans-gb4mv]

I'm glad they can't combine drinking and guns at a young age

[@nurwegen]

To be flair, in Germany you are allowed to shoot "Kleinkalieber" aka .22lr at the age of 14, if both parents agree to it.

[@Visitkarte]

@@Hans-gb4mvThey shouldn’t have ANY access to real weapons when they are under age . Easy.

[@richhold7775]

There was a news story here in the US where a 10 year old died at a shooting range when he lost control of his gun. He was there with his dad.

[@jornott8399]

You gave us a lot of positive examples, but many Germans still don't consider Germany a very kid-friendly place. It became better over the years, but there are still a lot of people (and places) where kids are considered a nuisance. But at least, we're trying, even if we sometimes do it in a very German way (children's noise is regulated in §22 Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz).

[@markuss3735]

The US is an outlier in terms of children-friendly or family-friendly facilities and outlook. Almost every country I have traveled to, whether in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and some of the Latin American countries focus more on children and families than the US does.

[@ThePruts0r]

As a Dutchy living in Canada, the way Europeans and North Americans look at their children, has one outstanding difference: In Europe kids have a place in the society or community. Here in North America, the school is the place for children. I mean, all kids activities are concentrated around school, and is a responsibility of the school. The world outside the schoolyard is dangerous, offensive and definitively NOT for children! The exorbitantly way to protect children for everything that is 'wrong' is completely insane! And the problem is that kids are not used to the normal things in live, and when they turn older, the go completely nuts on alcohol, drugs and sex because they thing that everything is 'allowed when you're an adult'....

[@Lysandra-8]

Living and working in North America as a young, healthy adult may be interesting. but for me Europe is the place to be if you have a family. especially with young children.😊

[@thomasp.4649]

One aspect is also not mentioned , in North America you must be worried that your child is shoot dead in a school shooting.➕

[@jeffhaines3354]

Well done, Ashton! As a former US exchange student to Germany, I miss so many those little details that make life that much more rich - especially while bringing up my own kids here in the states. I hope that we can re-integrate some of this design and reestablish community for both my wife and I and our kids to enjoy while bringing up our grand children. As a political / social conservative, even though I only agree with you about half the time, I appreciate the opposing perspective to challenge, my thinking. Keep up the good work!

[@sternenblumen]

I find it very interesting that you find restrooms that much better in Germany than the US, especially regarding the possibility for fathers to take care of nappy changes. Donnie from Passport Two made a similar video recently, and he had the exact opposite view. Do you fellow ex-pat KZbinrs talk and exchange notes sometimes? It's so interesting to see how much difference it makes where you are located!

[@uliwehner]

i think donnie was commenting on the fact that the changing rooms were in the womens rooms more often than not. i see a LOT of US highway rest areas and they are just above dismal in many places.

[@L00pTroop]

Rothaus ❤️💛 Even as a person who doesn't have a child I feel like it is important that every day life is designed to make it easier for parents to rais their kids. I have a lot of friends with 1-3 children and I can see how stressful e.g. travelling is anyways. So good that there are some gimmicks to make life easier.

[@djs98blue]

In the UK most pubs now allow children. But I remember being a child in the 80s and hiding from landlords while my dad sneaked out drinks and crisps to take outside! Things have changed for the better I think. And yes, baby changing rooms are fairly common here now as are bottle heaters, high chairs, colouring sets, and family areas etc in restaurants. This said, we’ve encountered some tut tutting from some older people when we’ve eaten out with children.

[@juergenurbas6395]

Moin , wie schön …. Ein Klasse Video.. inclusive Family ❤️. Liebe Grüße aus dem schönen Sauerland 🌲⛰️🌲

[@markhellemans3440]

Lol, I finally hit the subscribe button. I realized how much I have missed your flogs for the last couple of months. Always interesting content, very well prepared and researched. As a non-German European, I even learn a lot about Germany and Europe, not only about the USA.

[@mrthingy9072]

Ashton, I watch your videos because I miss Germany so much. Thank you. I lived there as a kid (father was in service), and I lived there as an adult (I was in service) and I really miss Germany, Europe, Great Britain, and Ireland. Thank you for your videos.

[@giuliapapalini8179]

Hi Ashton I love this video and agree 100% with all what you said. I live in Strasbourg and very often hop over the border to go shopping in DM or to spend a nice afternoon in a German playground. My kids love it and i feel so much more welcome running errands with them or enjoy drinking a beer while they play.

[@AdZS848]

Nice! The Renault Winery in New Jersey has this same kid-friendly attitude you are talking about. They organise events around holidays and integrate kids into them alongside adult activities. I went to fourth of July there and they had kid's games and family line-dancing and there was a space for the kids. Their biggest festival in Vintner Wonderland at Christmas which includes rides and a skating rink. I haven't been, but I heard a lot of good things about it. The owners lived in Austria and wanted to bring their experience of that lifestyle to the US.

[@Aine197]

I live in the same state as you, just a little to the north, and I have never seen a live chicken TV in any of the grocery stores in my area. It‘s a great idea, though. Maybe Freiburg is a bit of a pioneer in this regard - more sustainable, more family friendly than the rest of Germany, and maybe also the guinea pig, where new things are tried out before they are adopted in the rest of the state or country

[@janipiot]

I think it just depends on the store. I'd say half of the grocery store chains in Germany are actually franchises, so it's up to the respective owners to install something like that.

[@akkasams2059]

My guess is that Freiburg is kind of a pioneer in other respects, too. Public transport, bike lanes, urban planning... makes me envious! (I am a Lower Saxonian, having lived abroad for the last 20 years, the last 2 of which I cycled on the road sides of rural Virginia... not so funny.)

[@fredeerickbays]

I have not been back to E. Prov Ri since I left it in 89. My love and I adopted twine girls in 84. One they got to walking I took them to a park that had this play area that was fence in by a 15" tall chain link fence. It was a good 100'x100'. There was but one way to get in and the latch to open the gate was at about 5'. There was a benches each side of this gate for ppl to sit on. Parents just sat and watch their kids have fun. There was 20' tall slide. A thing like u showed only bigger and taller. Swing for little kids and for those of 6 and older. There were other play things in there but I will not go into them all. The last feature of this park was the 6 inches of wood chips every where which someone came by a few time a day to fluff up. My girls loved this place. They loved it even more when we left RI and came back to where I had grown up and bought a farm there.

[@azuredragonofnether5433]

I've been to a local brewery near my home as part of a school trip and we've also had small mugs for beers to freely test the beers in the making. We've also been given a free bottle of beer in the house and given I was already sloshed, I could consider myself lucky I lived nearby and didn't have to go back to school, just to 'be present'.

[@Kritiker313]

Interesting video Ashton. I really wish I could try one of those beers on the shelf behind you! This episode reminded me of my first trip into a public German restroom. It was amazingly clean! Unfortunately, I didn't know to tip until after I returned to my table in the restaurant. I would love for you to make a video about Jack's progress learning German if it's not too soon to ask. Is there a recommended approach to raising a child to be bi-lingual? As an American man nearing retirement, I sometimes think about moving abroad to live out the rest of my years in a more progressive and safe country like Germany. It would be a great adventure and a way to keep up with and improve my German language skills. But I think it's probably too expensive. Love your videos! Keep them coming.

[@saba1030]

Hi there 😊 We have the so called "Volkshochschulen/Community Colleges" in Germany, partly financed by gvt, therefor pretty cheap... They offer from learning languages = foreign as well as German for foreigners, Yoga, painting, Computer related stuff or whatever, always per semester...In almost all regions all over Germany 😊 All the best with greetings from Germany 🖐

[@Kritiker313]

@@saba1030 Thank you Saba. I have an intermediate level understanding of German but I don't get nearly enough practice to keep up my speaking skills. Herzliche Grüße aus Rochester, NY.

[@videoponder4673]

When I was in Kindergarten in Germany, they took the whole group on a trip to a local winery where we visited the cellar, watched things like the press and the bottle-filling machine and so learned how wine is made. I somehow have the feeling, that this would not be possible in the US

[@a0flj0]

You can take your kids to Hooters in the US too. (Whether you want to is a different question.)

[@joergschoettle6959]

That's what amazes me. Hooters is considered a family restaurant. Imagine suggesting to your European girl friend / wife / better half going to Hooters because the food is so good 😂 You would certainly get the stare of death just for the idea 🙈

[@trinaroach2832]

DM is definitely the g.o.a.t., as far as I'm concerned. I also must lead a blessed existence, because most of their locations I've frequented throughout NRW have been pretty much just like the one shown in the video.

[@thomasseichter5670]

In germany we even have "accompanied drinking" which means, when your parents are around supervise you the legal drinking age for beer and wine goes down to 14!

[@tovirus9818]

At one of our local shoe shops (not a chain and until recently was family owned) they have within the kids section a huge one story high fort with a big slide. When I was a kid I played on it and now my 3 year old son enjoys it too. He’s way more relaxed to go shoe shopping that way and I always know where to find him xD

[@hopejohnson6347]

I think one not-so-obvious child friendly space in Germany that deserves mention are shoe-stores. I just remember a lot of thm with very exciting slides and play areas right in the store.

[@christianmohr1491]

I wondered the whole video if you're at the Rothaus brewery 😁 Very nice place. I hope you also visited the Tannenmühle in Grafenhausen, also a great place for kids.

[@christianebehr138]

Hello Ashton, that was a very nice introduction of life with children. It makes me happy that you feel so welcome as a family. When I was a small girl I also got a sausage at the butcher . Around my home you dont have to walk far intill you get from one playground to the next. With living in Berlin if you have a separate bikelane some cars may not see you if you drivr on the pavement bike lane. Well here the cars and pedestrians and bycicles have to share the little space. Many greetings from Christiane Berlin 😊❤

[@isana788]

Jack and Theo are so incredibly cute, I would give them a ton of free apples if I could. Anyway, I remembered from the video that we visited a brewery with school when I was a teenager. Today I'm an alcoholic, haha, no just kidding, I don't drink alcohol because I don't like it.

[@clemenshampel]

We went on a tour at warsteiner brewery. We drove with an electric cart through the production hall and got a detailed explanation. Once we entered the brewing halls both kid’s almost imedeatatly fell asleep. A very relaxing time. Afterwards there was a good meal and a playground too.

[@kbittorf335]

Very informative! Enjoyed👍

[@afinger]

Hey, I enjoyed watching your video. Though I got a bit the impression that you are spoilt (in the best way) by living in Freiburg. Probably the whole south of Germany is still more focused on cultural community events and maybe even more kid-friendly. (And Freiburg is definitely one of the most bike friendly places in Germany.) So every time you said "Germany is this, Germany is that" I thought by myself: "unfortunately not ALL of Germany". (And I used to live in Freiburg, in Hamburg and in NRW). Anyway, I'm glad you've got such a great experience! :)

[@EngMadison]

Im loving your channel! Here, in Madison WI (German heritage, not sure how much that plays into this) we have some elements you mentioned, but I still think theres a lot of room to improve. Its weird going to another US city where the bike paths are destination paths rather than integrated paths...and we have one beer garden in a park and with a play area...now i cant wait for summer!

[@_v8339]

When it comes to things like drinking, smoking or even lighting a fire I think my parents had a pretty clever approach of 1) Being good role models and 2) Not strictly forbidding things My parents do not smoke and they only drink Alkohol on special occasions like birthdays or Christmas or when going out for dinner or beer garden with friends. I believe from kindergarten age on they always said “if you would like to try some of the adult stuff you are allowed to do so. But we want to be there with you. So just tell us” and “Yes you may take a sip from my wine or beer or coffee but I guess you will not enjoy it”. So I had a teeny tiny sip and immediately went like 🤢🤢🤢. They were so right, because these things just don’t taste like something a child would enjoy. So since I knew what the stuff tastes like I completely lost interest until adult age and until today am a very responsible drinker. Lighting a fire went a bit different, because I really enjoy doing “dangerous stuff” in a controlled and responsible way. We always had a candle on our dining table and I was allowed to light it when supervised. Makes me sad to see that nowadays kids only get those electric lanterns for St. Martin because I strongly believe that teaching children to deal with dangers in life instead of keeping them away from everything will lead to them becoming responsible, independent and self confident adults who are able to deal with life’s inevitable dangers.

[@markusstudeli2997]

That's fundamentally different here : we still have real candles on x-mas trees which our kids are allowed lighting since the age of 5; at school they used to carve lanterns out of sugar beats or pumpkins, place a candle inside and go on a parade in late autumn.

[@Coffeepanda294]

That's anecdotal, though. You have kids who grew up with parents who had liberal views on alcohol and turned into alcoholics, and kids growing up with strict parents who handle alcohol just fine. Would love to see research on what approach works best in reality.

[@christianbloch8290]

Für mich ist das Vereinsleben (Sportverein, Musikverein, Fasnachtszunft, etc.) auch ein großer Teil des Lebens mit Kindern, sowie die Möglichkeit das Kinder selsbständig in den Kindergarten/zur Schule gehen. Das kommt sicher noch hinzu wenn die beiden älter werden.

[@lyrikblog2375]

You should know that in federal state of bavaria beer is not considered to be a malicious alcoholic drink, it is considered to be groceries, known as "liquid bread". Futher more, in germany, there is a beer culture. Beer is part of standard life of most germens, you will find few people drinking like mad - this is why children are allowed.

[@snowsnake1264]

You need to take your kids to a kindermuseum. There is a great one in Wolfsburg. It’s literally a bridge away from the VW factory. If Jack loves to run around and explore. It’s a great place it’s called Phaeno. I went there with my school when I was younger and it was soo much fun

[@TypeAshton]

Thank you so much for the recommendation!

[@stefanj1610]

It is very refreshing to see and hear something else than the usual German-bashing. Not to mention the totally PC German self-bashing. Thank you!

[@AFNacapella]

ICEs also have their own "streaming service" on their wifi. even if the train is offline and you can't watch yt, you still can watch stuff there. they have a few kid's shows and iirc also audiobooks for adults and kids. ...and few people collect so many smiles as a little one marching the whole length of a train

[@andreadee1567]

In my hometown we have a whole café esp. for parents with kids. They are full of toys and free space to run around. Parents are meeting other parents and drink their coffee. I wonder if you do have them in your aerea too and how your experiences are.

[@dalehowey6095]

Ugh. I had forgotten how many times I had to first clean the front edges of public toilets when my boys went for a pee. I dreaded to hear them say they needed to go when we were out.

[@therealzilch]

Super gemacht wie üblich. I'm a few years ahead of you with kids (we're expecting our second grandchild), but all of this pertained to back then in Austria too: more integration of kids in the adult community, with benefits to kids and grownups alike. My wife hates beer, but even she was impressed by our tour of the local _Ottakringerbrauerei._ They have integrated themselves _prächtig_ with the community, including environment and children. I do miss California, but I'm never going back. cheers from sunny Vienna, Scott