DD- Breaking laws in France. For the kids!

It's been a month or so since I've blogged. Time has sure flown by here in a country where we think time ticks slower when compared to the States.

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 :>)