School Etiquette

Grace walks to and from school by herself now and has done so for a few months. Granted, we only live 450m from the entrance, but it is a contrast to Pittsburgh, where parents stood with their kids to wait for the school bus. This is just one of many reasons I enjoy raising the girls in Switzerland. I am not saying bad people don't exist here but it's a different type of mentality. Folks are always watching and looking out for each other. I think they are mostly watching to make sure everyone adheres to the "rules" of living here. This also means kids are taught to follow the social norms and another parent may end up correcting Grace if need be. I like that. Now. And it's only taken me 18 months to embrace the differences between life in Switzerland and life back in the States. I still miss Target though.

I am also impressed with the etiquette they are taught in school. On snow days, the kids use brooms on shortened handles to clean their shoes and boots of excess snow. Once inside the building they go through several other motions, completely independently of an adult, such as taking off the ubiquitous rain slickers and hanging up their kinskis (v-shaped reflectors that all 5 & 6 year olds must wear), and last but never least putting on their finken (house slippers).

It's not just a beautiful life. It's a well mannered one as well.