44 CultureShock! Austria
spend more money per capita per child on toys than parents
in any other European nation.School System
Even the school system is geared to having the children
spend time at home. From kindergarten until about the 4th
grade, children come home at around noon. The mother or
grandmother is at home waiting to serve them lunch. After
lunch, they go out to play, attend team practice, study another
language or learn to play an instrument. The latter two
activities are seen as a sign of good education and culture.In Public with Mom and Dad
In public, children are extremely well behaved; in fact, one
doesn’t hear a peep from them. To an outsider, it seems a
little harsh that the children cannot just ‘be children’. A strict
but loving upbringing molds them to fit neatly into society.Having Fun Together
Parents also do many sports with their children—ice-skating,
soccer, cycling, tennis, horseback riding and swimming.
Skiing is by far the most popular sport; having the Alps