maxie

This is the rescue I reached out to recently when I found an injured hedgehog. They have some tips on their website. (In German, but Google translate rulez!). https://igelfreunde-rp.de/infos/ And more details from the local service provider who is also involve in hedgehog rescue https://www.stw-frankenthal.de/ueber-uns/engagement/nachhaltigkeit-1/igel-story.html The main thing to remember is that the babies are born around this time of the year so any hedgehog you might pick up might be a nursing mom. Hedgehogs are an endangered species and need all the help they can get. What with a lack of habitats, lawn mowing robots that are NEVER safe for hedgehogs unless you are in the garden while they run, a lack of insects and an increase of traffic, these little guys are suffering silently. They really need help! I also found a list of hedgehog experienced vets in the whole of Germany, if anybody is interested. Some vets have no idea at all, but don't admit it. e.g. spot on (anti-flea stuff for dogs) is fatal to hedgehogs, I learned.

I sounds annoying as f***. I have seen signs that that placed under the shop window: Keine Fahrräder anlehnen. Or just a crossed out bicycle. You could put one directly on the steps: Eingang / Stufen freihalten I don't think there is anything you can do about the people coming into your shop to ask, other than send them away again and again. The return customers will learn. Maybe keep the address of one or two regular nail salons handy. You know, the ones that are actually open during business hours that then point out that a friend etc. goes there and is happy.

I have no idea who recommended the deaflora online shop to me but it is absolutely wonderful. I have ordered about half the different kinds of physalis and am looking forward to tasting them in a few weeks. So I just wanted to say thanks!

I have no idea who recommended the deaflora online shop to me but it is absolutely wonderful. I have ordered about half the different kinds of physalis and am looking forward to tasting them in a few weeks. So I just wanted to say thanks!

Sometimes teachers can recommend older students that are suitable. Or they might suggest a teacher that other students were successful with.

I am so happy for you that your caseworker seems to be what the Jugendamt is for! Thank you for the update. Your daughter will have to realize that there is no way to avoid putting in the work. Even a WG will make her follow the rules and fulfill obligations. Sometime the wake-up call is what kids need. Sometimes it is an environment where the adults are not as emotionally invested. I think it is much easier for Erzieher or Pädagogen to enforce rules and boundaries than for parents. Rest assured that Inobhutnahme actually has quite high requirements and is only used where the situations are urgent and there is a fear for health or life. Also: Congratulations on cracking German :-)

Good luck today! Please keep in mind that the Jugendamt - however misguided at times - has the job to work in the best interest of the child. If she is self-harming, they will be very worried as this could be incredibly dangerous if it goes wrong. Your child needs help. If she does not accept therapy when you suggest it, they might be able to work it from different angles. I do know that pushing people who are dealing with mental health problems can sometimes be the wrong thing to do even if meant well. Like telling someone suffering from depression that they just need to get up, just go for a walk, just be more active and their situation will get better. It is a vicious circle as they maybe just can't and their enviroment not understanding this will make them feel worse. There are different ways of becoming a good person. It does not hinge on playing sports. Please try to work with the experts. Yes, your job as a parent is to parent. But it is also to love your daughter unconditionally. She did not chose to be this way (well, teenagers sometimes chose to be AH, but you probably know what I mean). She is troubled and needs to know you love her regardless even when she is being difficult. The Jugendamt prefers to keep children in their families. Or return them to the family as soon as possible. It is their goal and it is cheaper overall. I wish you all the best!

I am really sorry you are in this situation. Sometimes you can be a great parent, but just cannot connect with your child. It must be the hardest thing for a parent, but sometimes letting go a bit and accept help is the way to go. I cannot imagine who that feels, but I have heard about if from the other side. If you have a reasonable person at Jugendamt, that helps a lot. Most of them do try their best and care. My recommendation would be (if you can!): Discuss it with them. Ask for assistance. Ask them to come up with a plan. Sometimes it can help to leave it to the professional who are also not as emotionally invested as a parent is. I have a bunch of Erzieherinnen in the familiy and amonst my friends. Some of them work in Wohngemeinschaften etc. They really care about the kids. There are strict rules and regulations im place to prevent any kind of neglect or abuse. But it is not a walk in the park/party for the children as they do have to stick to the rules of the house and they work on issues. It is also a lot easier for them to get access to support such as therapists. Only you can decide what it appropriate for your situation, but in general, accepting help is not a sign of failure as a parent!

Heidelberg is prettier and more touristy. I know people who lived there and then moved to Mannheim because - in their view - it's a better quality of life than Heidelberg if you actually live there. More diverse, more stuff to do, more "real" than a city filled with tourists and students. I personally prefer Mannheim to Heidelberg and the countryside to either one of them. It all depends on what you want.  There are a bunch of international schools in the area, but I cannot comment on any of them. It also depends on what you are looking for and what your budget is, if you even want to send your kids to one. Or are you planning on sending them to a German public school? The same is true for living arrangements. The whole area is not cheap. With Heidelberg & Schwetzingen being the most expensive, afaik. There are a whole lot of smaller villages/towns in the area. I have colleagues who live in Mannheim, Ludwigshafen, Heidelberg, Viernheim, Weinheim, Schwetzingen and anywhere in between. Neither of them are actively complaning about their living situation. There are of course differences depending on where you live in each town, but the overall quality of life seems to be pretty similar.