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Kids and Dobermanns con't
A puppy can get rather stressed if not allowed proper rest. Obvious signs that your puppy is ready for a nap would include;

*When the pups tries to find refuge under the sofa, or places where they think your child cannot reach them.
*The puppy starts to fall asleep anytime it is given a few seconds of rest, or they pass-out in the middle of play.
*The pup seems tired and unwilling.
*If (s)he is not gaining weight and growing like the rest of their littermates. This may vary among puppies and it is normal for them to not eat right between the first and seventh day. But after that (s)he should be obviously thriving.
*Lastly if the pup is being mauled (s)he may even protest by growling or becoming ridged. This is not a common reaction for a puppy but it is possible in the most extreme cases.

Let the puppy play with the kids and then put him/her away for a nap in the crate. If the kids bother with the pup you can always offer to put them down for a nap too. I bet they will stay far away from the crate then.

Feeding your puppy in the beginning should be done in the crate. This will help you housebreak them as well. Too often people are in a hurry to take the food away from the pup so that (s)he will not become aggressive over their food. This really is not necessary, and should not be done by your kids. Your Dobermann puppy should not be food aggressive when you get him/her anyhow. On the contrary, you may find that for the first few days you will have to offer him/her their food by hand a few times just to get them to eat. It is OK for the kids to do this in under those circumstances.

You can have your kids mix the pup's food while the pup watches. They can take a kibble or two and give it to the pup, then put the bowl down to feed him/her.

If you take the bowl away from the puppy, it should only be to add something to it like a piece of cheese. You are teaching your dog that you are the provider and that (s)he can trust you. Dogs only ever become protective over their food if they are too hungry and feel that they are going to loose it. People that constantly take food away are sadly giving their dog the wrong message.

Kids and Dobermanns con't
Children should respect the dogs toys, and not give their toys to the dog. Have the kids throw a ball or toy for the pup to retrieve and do not let them play tug-of-war games. This is a challenge, and someone has to come out the winner. Tugging games should be left for much later. Kids should not go and sleep in the puppies crate as this is the puppy's den and safe place away from the hustle.

Dobermanns are extremely aware of their size and ability. In most cases they are usually quite gentle with toddlers. Even though toddlers tend to grab, poke and pick, the pup seems to let them get away with this. However, I am not saying that all Dobes should, or will tolerate this treatment. Small children that are still crawling around will have to be monitored, but under normal conditions a pup/dog will not challenge the child. It is older children that usually pull-off stunts like wrestling with the dog and growling at it.
Safe play will mean no high-pitched screaming or jumping on the puppy. Children should not act like a dog with their pup either. Dogs have their own language and may not understand why a child is barking at him/her while crawling on all fours. This is inappropriate behaviour for a child and can result in the pup/dog challenging them for rank. This is how kids get bitten! A child has no reason to try to bite the pup on the face, neck , or anywhere for that matter. Kids should not growl at the puppy or beat them with their hands or a foreign object.

There are many issues surrounding a childís role in their relationship with a puppy. Basically stated, kids should act like people and dogs should be treated like dogs! A dog will respect our position as long as we don't act like a dog. If a pup is treated like a human it will also confuse him/her and damage their outlook on rank issues.

I wish that I could tell you that there has never been a case of neglect or abuse, or that a dog has never bitten a child. But that would be sadly unrealistic. I cannot express my feelings strongly enough about supervision and guidance.
I was approached by a mother who said that her Dobermann (from another kennel) had nipped her son in the face when he woke the dog. The boy only received a tiny bruise and thankfully was not hurt. It was later revealed that the Dog was being abused by the boy. He was acting-out in anger as he was witnessing his fatherís abuse to his mother.