Als ich ein Kind war — When I Was a Child

The cone of sweets, and walking to school alone

A German child's first day at school comes with a Schultüte — a large decorated cardboard cone, often taller than the child, filled with sweets, pencils and small presents. It dates from the early nineteenth century, families photograph the moment, and the cones are frequently homemade. The other thing outsiders notice is how much independence German children are given. Walking or cycling to school alone from the age of six or seven is normal and actively encouraged; many schools discourage parents from driving, and some organize walking buses. Children play unsupervised in courtyards and parks, and the expectation that an adult is always watching is much weaker than in Britain or North America. This is bound up with the Waldkindergarten movement — nurseries held entirely outdoors, in all weather, with no building at all — and with the conviction from Lesson 19 that there is no bad weather, only the wrong clothing.