Thoughts on an Einschulung

D (finally) started school this week.  See:

D goes to Late Birds.  So she wears a bird to school.  Kids who go home wear houses... 

 In Germany, the beginning of formal schooling (typically 1st grade, but since our school follows the American system, Kindergarten) is marked with an "Einschulung" (Schooling-In) ceremony.  There is really no translation.

 It is also traditional (and by "traditional" they mean "mandatory") to give your child a "schultute" after this ceremony.  Schultuten are traditionally filled with sweets to make learning sweeter (kind of like putting honey on the aleph-bet letters).  D's tute was filled with a KinderEgg and a few chocolates but mostly art supplies, a jump rope, barrettes, etc.  Poor girl has a tute-filler with an agenda.

So, in no particular order, my random observations on an Einschulung:

1.  The marching is more like shuffling

2.  Shirt chewing is a universal language

3.  "Einschulung" has nothing to do with "Entschuldigung" (excuse me), except that neither roll off the tongue

4.  Who invented this language?

5.  Really?  You're going to make me (all of us) listen to someone else's 2nd graders play violin?

But really, it was a lovely morning.  The students were welcomed to the school community by the 2nd graders and I think really got the idea that all of the parents, relatives (apparently Godparents play a role in this day) and friends there were there to support them in learning.  

And after 4 days they can sing in English and German: