La Rentrée

For people in France, now begins the period of après les vacances. You know -- after vacation. France is a country where July and/or August vacation weeks are de rigeur! Everyone takes them, everyone goes away for them. With very few exceptions. Eventually though, you have to come back. You have to reenter the stream of daily life. Return to work, return to school. It's an important calendar date, no less so than any other big event in the year. 

For the French, this year's la rentrée des classes is tomorrow. Conveniently, the Ministry of Education sets the holidays and school days for all school children in France and except for February vacations (two weeks!) and spring/Easter break (two weeks again!), both of which are staggered by region, everyone is in school at the same time. Every child's la rentrée is tomorrow.

(Are you a child, fuming at the unfairness of all those vacance weeks in France? Calm down. The Ministry has set the date for the start of school summer vacation for 2022: it's July 7.)

Compare that to our system. If you look at only the first day of school, you'll see a different calendar date not only between states and between school districts, but also within any township or city. So that, for example, the first day of school for Snowdrop is today, whereas the first day of school for Sparrow is Friday. To me, the disparity in starting times is just one example of how much we, individually, like to set our own path in life. The idea of conforming to a national standard is, to some, akin to embarking on a path toward hegemonic authoritarianism. Well, unless it's a standard you happen to like. But let's not go there. I'll leave you to your own thoughts on this. Let's instead talk about school.

(Oh! That's contentious as well? But how could that be? Don't we all just want the same things for our kids? A safe learning environment for all? Okay then! Let's figure out the basic parameters! How hard can that be? Shush!)

So it's school for Snowdrop. As every year since she started the great educational venture (it's her sixth "first day"), I am there bright and early to take that classic photo.

Sparrow has to feel a little left out: the fuss isn't about him, because his school doesn't start until Friday. Never mind! It can be his first day this year sending his sister off to school!

And then I retreat to the porch on this most brilliant, beautiful, sun-filled, cooler day. Notice Snowdrop was wearing a sweater? Indeed! And I wore socks all day long. Fall has arrived.

(For breakfast, I move my place to a sunny spot. For the warmth!)

(I do warm up quite a bit by helping Ed stack wood logs from the chopped down tree.)

Brilliant day. Just brilliant!

(This year, we have a modest apple harvest in the new orchard and a significant -- still in its early stages! -- pear harvest)

In the afternoon, I head out to pick up the girl after this memorable first day of first grade.

The schedule this week is just a little different: I take her home because there are several people there who want to hear all about her day. She has a captive audience.

 

 

 

It's funny to put Snowdrop on the spot like that! So often during Sunday dinner she'll pipe up that no one is listening to her or letting her speak. But ask her to do it as four eager adults listen and she turns shy. Never mind, we got some details out of her -- everything from the hairstyle of the girl who misbehaved all day long, to the duration of second recess (so short!).

And then I return home. Ed rides his bike, I consider closing some of the windows. Why? It's getting awfully nippy out there! Can you believe it -- after the hot and humid days of this past week, we're going down to 52F (11C) tonight. A rapid but beautiful reentry into the new season.

With love.