Baby Names: In and Out of Fashion Like many other things in life, baby names go in and out of fashion. It's an international phenomenon that applies globally, regardless of language. Some first names (Vornamen) are rather timeless, while others fade away. Baby names...
The GW Expat Blog
Tag
raising children in Germany
My Favorite Berlin Christmas Markets
I am fresh off the high of my favorite Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market). After the disaster of the pandemic years, my appreciation for Christmas markets has only grown. My personal favorite only runs for one weekend every Christmas season. I eagerly anticipate its...
Sledding in Germany
Several years ago, we experienced our first white Christmas with our daughter. She was a toddler - a near perfect cherubic age - and we were staying in my husband's hometown. As the flakes began to fall and softly cover and quiet the landscape, we felt the wonder of...
Stories from the Front Lines: Berlin COVID-19 Edition
I have a cousin from Arkansas who recently moved to China with her family. I admire their adventurous spirit as I can't imagine a much more drastic change for them. Moving from Seattle to Berlin as two footloose and fancy-free twenty-year-olds is one thing. Moving as...
6 German Toys You’ve Never Heard Of
In the lead-up to Christmas, full of company parties and gift shopping and Christmas Markets, we had a new German word to look-up: Schrottwichteln. It had my German-fluent husband stumped with Schrott roughly translating to "garbage" and Wichteln to "gnomes." Garbage...
Best Museums for Kids in Berlin
It is birthday party season for us in Berlin. After my little girl's 5th birthday (5th!), we had two other kids' parties at some of the city's best museums. Apparently we are running with a fashionable kiddie crowd. In this season of cold weather and celebrations, it...
Questions I Get About Raising Kids in Germany
Even though I am American, I've never raised children in America. I was about 5 years into our German adventure when I had our first Berliner. Now we have two and I am often split between the two countries on my parenting-style; not quite American, not nearly German....
Long-Haul Flights With Kids
I am in the midst of my third trip back to the USA with kids. Along with questions about jet lag and reverse culture shock, one of the questions I always get is about taking kids - particularly a baby - on a long-haul flight. And it is a flight. I live in Berlin with...
Getting a Haircut in Germany
This is gonna sound a little crazy, cuz it is. I have never gotten a professional haircut in Germany. I have occasionally hacked off my own dry ends and taken the clippers to my husband, he has been to the Turkish barbers for a traditional buzz and ear hair burning...
Visitor Observations of Germany
My parents are visiting us in Berlin for their...sixth time? We are lucky that they have visited so many times and come to (grudgingly) love our city and our place in it. But even after all of these visits, there are still things that throw them off. There are still...
Short Trousers
One of the most interesting aspects of being an expat is when you find yourself in the eye of a culture clash storm. Last winter my, then seven-year-old, son was determined to wear shorts, whatever the weather. His avoidance of long trousers evolved gradually during...
What’s Up with Wasps in Germany?
I forgot it was almost August until I walked up to the KiTa (daycare) where my husband teaches, and saw the sign on the front gate: Achtung! Erdwespen auf der Wiese. (Caution! Wasps in the meadow/garden.) Aw, yes. Just like the seasonal Eis (ice cream) stands and the...
Best Swimming Pools for Kids in Berlin
On days like today (the end of Ostern or Easter holidays with no family nearby and only medium-nice weather) there is a question of what exactly to do. We've already had 3 glorious days off, admired our Osterstrauch (Easter tree), celebrated the holiday with enough...
American Versus German Parenting – The Distance
I am fresh off the holidays back in America and along with other oddities of reverse culture shock (how much water is in American toilets!?), I have a new one. Even though all of my experience as a parent is in Germany, I would assume that - as an American native -...
Berlin Nuts
Without much of a summer, it was like I turned around and it was fall. Luckily, I love fall. Adore. It is my favorite season. But is was still shocking to see the trees suddenly aflame in orange and red. Walking became difficult as the ground was bumpily carpeted in...
Potty Training in Germany
I've talked about raising a child in Germany and I've talked about toilets. Now these two things have combined as I attempt to potty train in Germany. Give me strength. History of Potty Training in Germany Germany has an interesting history with potty training and -...
4 Ways in which Berliners are Actually Nice
I don't want to say Berliners get a bad rap, because they can be incredibly rude. They live up to the standard German reputation of shutting doors in your face, non-existent customer service, and refusal to engage in simple pleasantries - then up the ante with...
Taking Your Kids to the Beach Like a German
For the third year in a row, I have just returned from a fabulous beach vacation. Greece, Italy...we are apparently becoming European jetsetters (still fairly poor ones). Being in Europe allows you to make affordable vacation choices to unbelievable destinations....
Days for the Frauen and Männer
Holiday Alert! It is Muttertag (Mother's Day) this Sunday which means elegant brunches and bundles of flowers - no matter which side of the pond you are on. Mother's Day in Germany But the history of the holiday in Germany, Switzerland and Austria has a unique...
Long-Distance Grandparenting
It is that time of year where our latest visiting family member is on their way home (bye Opa!) and we are reminded how very hard it is to have a baby abroad. We have no one to call about a sickness in the middle of the night, no family at her birthday party, and nary...
Recent Comments