A short but sweet weekend with the kids, just 2.5 from Berlin

Our latest family weekend getaway in Germany was quite spontaneous. I read a post about this destination in a local Facebook group for families and I got really excited about it right away. The author of the post had mentioned a few attractions that could fit perfectly with our son’s favorite things, so we checked out calendars for the first opportunity and booked a weekend away.

As anyone familiar with traveling as a young family will tell you, this was not a vacation. It was a great change of scenery and a break from our routine. I really enjoyed not having to clean, cook and do the rest of the day-to-day chores. But all of the regular challenges of the baby-toddler phases are still very present, and you are forced to deal with them outside of your comfort zone. Having said that, I can honestly say that I enjoyed our time there very much, and so did the kids.

, a small town in the Harz district in Germany. Even though I saved on my designated 

 many sites, attractions and trails in other areas, we wound up spending the entire time in town. It offers many things to do, with a number of great attractions for the entire family. The town center is very lively with lots of shops, restaurants, cafes and gorgeous historical buildings. Every time we turned a corner I was amazed by the architectural details of the buildings.

 as a family of four, I knew that choosing the right place to stay is very important. We chose the 

 because of its perfect location and its impressive buildings. The room was lovely, the wonderful breakfast was included in the price and it’s located within walking distance from the old town center and a beautiful park. However, It was a bit unfortunate that we didn't have a kitchenette or even a coffee maker in the room. Having some of the meals and snack times in a private and more relaxed atmosphere could make a big difference when traveling with little ones. The other downside was that the room was a bit too small for us, and we didn’t really have a comfortable place to sit and relax after the kids went to sleep.

Speaking of sleep, it was more difficult for the kids this time around. We have spent quite a few nights away from home in the past, and this was the first time that sleeping became an issue. It did work itself out by the third and final night, but the first couple of nights were long and difficult. We thought that it could be related to the fact that both kids fell asleep in the car on the way from Berlin to Wernigerode, and a little too late in the day. So that is something to consider when you plan your trip.

#1 A coffee shop right outside the hotel and/or a coffee machine in the room is a must for us. The best time to relax with a good cup of coffee is when the kids are playing in the hotel room, and this felt like a missed opportunity for a little pick-me-up for us.

#2 Get in the car early. We wanted to have a quiet lunch at home before making the 2.5 hours trip from Berlin to Wernigerode while taking into consideration that the kids will nap on the way. That resulted in them falling asleep too late and then not being tired enough for their regular bedtime.

Our son Robin (3.5 years old at the time) is crazy about all things train! So this was the main attraction for us and we booked the tickets in advance. We got round-trip tickets that are for a specific train and time on the way up the mountains and can be used freely on the way back, without having to commit to a certain time or place to board the train.

We initially booked a ticket from Wernigerode to Brocken, which is the final stop of the line, but decided to get off one station before that, at Drei Annen Hohne because it seemed that the kids have had enough. I had a 

 marked on the map, but we skipped it and just took another train back to town.

If seeing the steam trains is enough for you and you don’t feel the need to ride them, you can check out the list of stops and timetables on their 

 and catch a glimpse wherever and whenever it is convenient for you.

This wasn’t actually on my list of sites and attractions. We set out to drive to see the monkeys at the 

, but it was a bit far away and there was a high chance of rain so we were looking for an alternative. I caught a glimpse of the park in a brochure and it turned out to be a huge success.

It showcases miniature versions of local buildings and sights, including the famous steam trains, which naturally appealed to our young train fanatic. In addition, there are a small excavator for the kids to operate (for an additional cost), a labyrinth, swing sets and a small food stand.

Right outside is a public park that offers many more play and relaxation areas, including a few playgrounds, a water playground which is an amazing option for warmer days, animals like donkeys, goats and rabbits, an enlarged chess board, a wooden stable with wooden horses, a large lake to stroll around, many benches and hammocks to choose from, and more. We spent a few hours there, and if it hadn’t started to rain heavily then I think we would have spent the entire day there.

This is one of the most famous sights of Wernigerode. The castle is now a highly recommended museum but we didn’t go in, as I thought that the kids are a bit young for that. However, the beautiful terrace is open to the public and offers a gorgeous view of the town and mountains. We got some pastries on the way and took a small break there before heading back to Berlin. The kids loved the fountain, they climbed up and down the staircases and we really enjoyed the view.

You could climb up to the castle on foot, by car or by bike, we chose to ride one of the few train-like busses that drive from the town center up the hill and back. That in itself is a nice attraction for young kids, and Robin was super excited about it.

My husband and I always say that it took us a few times to discover the best travel rhythm for us. Some travelers need to check all the boxes in terms of attractions and sightseeing and some take it more slowly. When traveling with kids you need even more flexibility and offer them chances to play more freely. Discovering local playgrounds is a great way to do that. It falls somewhere in the middle between the new and the familiar and you can immediately tell how easy it is for them to blend in. You could “squeeze” that in at any time, there is no queuing involved and it’s free!

We got to three different playgrounds, and all of them are marked on my 

. One of them is located in the middle of the Lustgarten park, which could double as a picnic location, or just as a green and calming break in the middle of the day.


We passed by this restaurant on our way to the town center, and couldn't help but notice the diverse menu and the amazing BBQ aroma. We ate here twice and sat both in the backyard and inside. The service was very friendly, the food was great (except for the regular schnitzel) and the atmosphere was really nice. The menu is American style with a few Mexican dishes and we tried a few different things that were delicious.


Italian food is always a good idea, especially with kids. We had to wait a bit for a table here for dinner, but the meal was definitely worth it. In general, you should make a reservation for restaurants during the weekend, but we preferred to keep our schedule flexible.


The cafes in town close up quite early, so we found ourselves here a couple of times, their hours are slightly longer and it was located close by to our hotel. While the coffee was okay and nothing special, what really stood out was the service and the little kiddy buggies up front, which are available for the kids to ride in the pedestrian-only street.

Weekend getaway in Wernigerode, Germany

How to achieve work-life balance as an international parent

One of the reasons for our relocation to Germany was our desire for more balance in our lives. As our family grew, and two sweet kids were born, I found myself constantly reshaping my priorities and schedule. That kept getting more and more difficult as I went back to work, tried to re-establish my business after a very long time off, and with the challenges that life kept throwing at us. I have been working a lot on my own personal growth lately, digging deep and attempting to reshape whatever it is that feels slightly off. Therefore I’m very happy that 

, is here, to share her thoughts, outlook and practical tips on finding work-life balance as a parent in general, and an international mother in Germany in particular. Take it away, Gitanjali!

This is what I think about when I look at my life as a mother.

Remember the time when you didn’t have children? You probably thought you have so much free time. And now that you have kids and think back on that time, you probably think you had soooooo much free time when you didn’t have kids!

When people talk about work-life balance, they often think about their jobs and their kids. Self-care then becomes a luxury or “nice to have” or isn’t even a consideration. While you are taking care of your job and family, no one is taking care of you.

But I propose that self-care is the key to a good work-life balance. Maybe even the most important element.

So what is work-life balance? It has been defined as “a state of equilibrium” between the demands of your career and the demands of your family life or personal life. I think this definition needs to be adjusted to “work-life balance is a state in a person’s life where they have time to prioritize themselves and at the same time have good control over their jobs and family life.” This looks different for everyone, depending on your financial situation, the help you have around, how many children you have and many other factors. It is not 50% work and 50% life and definitely doesn’t work every day. The aim is to feel balanced about our lives as a whole.

Work-life balance for international parents in Germany

As an international parent, parenting becomes even more challenging because we don’t have family and friends close by who we can lean on for support. But we are not meant to live our lives the way we did before we had kids. And we are definitely not meant to do it alone. So it is very important to build a community of friends who we can lean on for support, especially as international families living in Germany. It can be for a couple of hours of babysitting, someone to talk to or meet spontaneously for a cup of coffee or just spend time together with the kids. We live in this world of hyper-connectivity where we can talk to our friends and families across the world but are least connected with the people who are in our immediate neighborhoods. Those are the people we need in our everyday lives.

While most parents find it difficult to balance their work and family lives, this can be particularly challenging for international mothers. We are battling decades of this image of “the perfect mother”, the all-sacrificing woman who always puts herself last, works non-stop to always be there for her children and has the perfect home. At the same time, we are expected to be successful at work. Most women who look like they “have it all” will tell you that they don’t do it alone. They have built a support system to take care of some aspects of their lives or their partners take over their fair share of work.

Germany offers a lot of support for working parents, like daycare, ample paid annual leave, financial support and part-time work. If you are a mother working in Germany, you can use these offers and free up some time in your day to take care of yourself.

The minute you start talking about work-life balance, everyone will mention a to-do list. But then we start adding things to the list and it seems never ending. It becomes a constant reminder of things we haven’t managed to do. But what is important to remember is that these planning tools, apps and calendars are here to work for us and not control our lives. They are there to make our lives easier and bring more structure to them. So don’t let them control you or make you feel guilty.

Work expands to fill the time available. So if you are always available, you will always have work. This is why boundaries are so important. It can be difficult to say no, especially to our kids or people we are very close to. It can be something as small as parting with the last bite of food on your plate because your child wants to have it. Or you look at your phone and have an email and think, “Oh, I can quickly answer this one and then I’m done”. Before you know it, you’ve gone down the rabbit hole and an hour later, you’re still not done.

We also live at work, so we cannot separate the two from one another. It is important to ensure a good quality of life at work as well if we hope to have a good family life. Not only do we have to make sure we don’t bring work into our family life, it is also important to make sure we set boundaries at work. Some people say, “when I’m at work, I’m 100% at work and when I’m at home, I’m 100% at home”. This sounds nice but practically, it is just not possible for most people. You end up thinking about chores and your children at work, and you think about that exciting project or dreading a work deadline. That’s normal. But if we organize our lives in such a way that things are taken care of, we will have fewer things to worry about or distract us.

Maintaining a good balance in your life clearly has a lot of advantages. It can reduce your stress levels, improve your sleep and mood and increase energy levels. I’m sure you’re now wondering what the solution is. Of course, like most things related to parenting, there is no one-size fits all solution. You have to find what works for you. Here are some of my suggestions:

: While we can make some plans, it is important to remain flexible in our minds because life with kids is particularly unpredictable. While we might have a routine that works for us, there are bound to be days when things don’t work as we hope or plan. In this case, we have to quickly find alternate solutions and change our plans. Having a support system of friends and family in this case really helps.

 in the way you live your life. Try to be in the moment, enjoy your life and don’t get caught up in negativity. If you feel extremely unhappy, take some time to think about what needs to change so that you find happiness again and make a plan to get there.

: from work and from technology. Put down your phone, stop scrolling mindlessly on social media or binge-watching TV. I am sure you already know this, but this unhealthy use of technology is ruining our sleep and increasing our dissatisfaction.

: For some self-care could mean going out with friends for drinks, for others it could be finding time for exercise. As mothers, we are often over-stimulated by our kids, our work and all our thoughts. So self-care in this case can be anything that relaxes you. It doesn’t need to be an extra, it can also be a part of your daily routine like stepping out for a walk with your baby and getting some fresh air. For me, the best self-care is organizing my life so that I always have my evenings free to do what I want.

The main message I want to leave you with is that you are important too. You are worthy of being at the top of your list of priorities.

Take care of yourself and be kind to yourself.

If you would like to work on your own daily schedule to find daily work-life balance and time for yourself, join my workshop on March 15. In this intimate workshop, you will also have the opportunity to talk to other mothers, share, inspire and be inspired.

Tag: Germany