Was I nervous when I arrived at Potsdamer Platz last Sunday for the World Children’s Day children’s party! I may be used to people, crowds of people even, but children … that’s something else.

“Who painted you blue?” one little lad asked me straight off. I tried to think of a suitable answer for a child but clearly took too long about it. “Oh, he’s just eaten too much Smurf ice cream,” said a cheeky little girl with plaits, while another child aimed a lump of chewing gum at my thigh.

I really had my hands full there – and I have four. I must have looked a bit stressed became just then along came Pumuckl – turning up just at the right moment, like those TV brownies the Mainzelmännchen always do. “Can I give you a tip, mate? Firstly: keep calm, don’t get flustered. Secondly, I always have my pockets filled with sweets. They work wonders if things get tricky.” And he was right, that really was a good way to tame the little ones. In the end, it turned out to be a fantastic day and I took lots of photos with even more children. I have rarely had so much fun. When I got home that evening, Antonia was waiting expectantly. “Well, how was it?” I smiled knowingly and answered coolly, “child’s play”.

Wersja drukowana berlin-airport.de (Copyright Berliner Flughäfen)