Our routine is more or less in place. Why more or less? We often have impromtu invitations to have a drink or a play date with neighbors and/or people that we bump into here and there during the day. Otherwise, our mornings typically begin by getting ready for school. Sebastien attends school 5 days a week. He returns home at noon for lunch and then at 1:45 we bike back to school - all of 1/2 a mile.
Anais is at the same school which Sebastien attended last year. She is thriving there according to the staff which is 4:5 staff to kids.
After dropping off Anais at 8:30, Sebastien and I proceed to his school a block away. There, the doors open at 8:55, so we are typically early. The first few weeks, I couldn't get over the number of mothers with babies in a stroller, their three year old in tow, and a malboro in one hand. Is it possible that all of them did not get the e-mail, say 20 years ago, that second hand smoke does no one any good??
I took it upon myself to head up to the school at dusk one day with Sebastien's backpack. I jumped the fence and opened the pack to unload a cartridge of glue as well as 2 no smoking placards. The backpack was handy for two purposes. One to carry my gear and two in order to have an excuse as to why I hopped the fence after open hours. "My son left his back back at the door, officer", I would say. I posted the signs on two pillars 20ft from the door. The next morning I arrived glad to see that my signs had stuck but disappointed to see a guy leaning against the pillar smoking.
Here's what it looks like:
And here's what it looks like in the morning while people are waiting for the doors to open:
A week passed, and the trick worked. Significantly fewer people are smoking in proximity to the kids. I figured that I killed two birds with one cartridge of glue:
a) The kids (and non smoking parents) are a little safer
b) The administrators at the school will not have to hold 2-3 meetings to determine if no-smoking signs are really necessary as well as if they have the budget (3 euros) to purchase and post such signs.
Next week, I have a few cross walks that I'm going to paint :>)
