4 reasons your kid doesn’t need a “Schulranzen” in the US

I loved my dark blue Scout “Schulranzen” when I was a kid all through primary school. So when my daughter was ready to enter Kindergarten (equivalent with “Vorschule”) in the US, I wanted her to have one of her own. We spent a big part of our summer vacation in Germany shopping for the perfect “Schulranzen” evaluating all the new brands, shapes, colors and character adornments on the market these days…

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Supporting Bilingualism with Online Rental for Children’s Books in German

Do you know one big secret to raising a bilingual child? It is so simple, most people dismiss it: Read to your child every single day in German for 15 minutes or more

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5 Questions to ask Your OB/GYN Early on in Your Pregnancy

Many pregnant women are pretty happy with their obstetrician- until it comes to giving birth. Once its getting to the “birth talk” around 36 weeks some obstetricians show a very different side to what the mom-to-be had in mind for her birth experience. Starting from the right time for induction to discussing the position how the mother prefers to give birth – make sure to ask your obstetrician or midwife early on in pregnancy what you would like to know.

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Kid’s Birthday Party – A quick guide for foreigners

No matter if you’re new to New York or just new to motherhood – there will soon be a birthday party to host – and it’s quite different than back home. Here are a few interesting facts, some do’s and don’ts and a general overview of the birthday “etiquette”.

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Finding a Babysitting Job in NYC

New York City is one of the largest and most densely populated cities in the world, which makes it prime real estate for both those looking to find work and those in need of care. Everywhere you go, there’s a business — or family — in need of employees, and when you tack on internet advertising, opportunity abounds.

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Carpooling is the Earth-Friendly Solution Busy New York Parents Need

Until kids are independent, it is up to parents to get them from Point A to Point B. For many parents, it often feels like they spend hours every day just making sure their kids get to school and back and then off to an after-school activity. Even in New York, sometimes it’s simply not convenient to use public transportation or walk with your kids.

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5 Tips when Shopping for a Mortgage as an International Buyer

Are you thinking about buying an apartment or a house, but you’re on a visa or Green Card and your assets are partly in Europe? Not to worry – it just takes a few more steps of planning and preparation and get all your ducks in order before you start looking. The direct way to secure a mortgage would be with your bank, but surprisingly that’s often not the best bet when you are an expat with international assets.

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How much should you pay a babysitter in NYC?

How much should you pay a Babysitter? 

According to a survey by UrbanSitter in 2018, the average hourly babysitting rate has climbed to $16.43 for one child, based on a survey of more than 20,000 families across the country. In New York City you can still get away with $15 per hour if you find a high school kid or inexperienced student. For an experienced babysitter the rates are usually between $18 and $20 for one child. For special skills like someone with an education in early childhood care, CPR or even a desired language, you can expect to pay around $25 per hour.

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Five Myths About Bilingualism

Raising a bilingual child is a big commitment, and it can be challenging. But your decision to teach your child more than one language is a gift that can offer tremendous advantages. In this post, we’d like to set the record straight on five common myths about bilingualism.

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Wie werden Kinder zu begeisterten Lesern?

Dass Lesen wichtig ist, ist uns allen bewusst. Ohne die Fähigkeit zu lesen, ist Erfolg in unserer Gesellschaft kaum möglich. Lesen ist die Grundlage für Bildung in allen Bereichen und damit auch für eine selbstbestimmte Berufswahl und den Zugang zu “höherwertigen” Jobs.
Lesen ist aber ebenso wichtig für die soziale Entwicklung von Kindern: Indem sie durch Bücher die Welt aus verschiedenen Blickwinkeln kennen lernen, erweitert sich ihr Horizont und sie werden in ihrer sozialen Entwicklung unterstützt.
Auch in der bi- oder multilingualen Erziehung spielt lesen eine wichtige Rolle, indem Bücher neues Vokabular und grammatische Strukturen vermitteln.

Aber was tun, wenn Kinder nicht gerne ein Buch in die Hand nehmen? Wir haben für euch einige Tips zusammengestellt, wie ihr sie dazu motivieren könnt, bzw wie ihr schon bei Babys und Kleinkindern das Interesse an Büchern wecken könnt.

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