No, no, no! France is on strike again. It was bad enough waking up this morning to the news that I’d be facing a tired and grumpy husband this evening, who had to drive to work instead of enjoying his customary snooze on the train, but far, far worse was being informed, by a maman friend at the school gates, that nursery is also cancelled for the day. This would have been my son’s first day at school this week, after falling ill over the weekend (too ill for my conscience to allow me to inflict his germs on innocent bystanders, but not so ill as to curb his liveliness in any degree, nor to promote good behaviour). I had such exciting plans for catching up on the neglected washing up this morning – if I move further than an inch away from the little urchin, at any time (even whilst he is watching television), he comes and finds me, grasping my hand in his tiny iron grip and leading me back again. He even insists on accompanying me, to “help Mama”, when I go to the toilet (and has, on more than one occasion, generously offered his wiping services – politely declined). He is having a rare nap at the moment, and my current feeling is that venting to strangers provides more health benefits than clean dishes. My Chou and I are bestest best friends.
Apparently everyone else at school was told about the strike on Monday (whilst my son was absent). I suppose that the secrétaire (who has multiple contact numbers with which to reach both myself and my husband) wanted to give us a lovely surprise, by not letting us in on the new plan beforehand. It certainly was a surprise to find that I would have the pleasure of enjoying yet another day of unscheduled toddler fun. How terribly kind and thoughtful of her.
It is just as well that I am a stay-at-home-mum. This is the third time in four months that there has been no class for my son to attend, although, to be fair, this is the first school strike that we have experienced. We are very fortunate to be in the catchment area for a state nursery school with a toute petite section (there are only four maternelles with this class in our entire département, most nursery programmes starting at age three). Inconveniently, but understandably, there is no sickness cover – working parents get priority for the limited alternative childcare, where the absent teacher’s stranded students are split up and join different classes for the day. I would always prefer to keep my son at home with me (four mornings a week is more than I would like ideally, however this was the best compromise that both parties could reach), but it would be so helpful to be made aware of the situation before we get to the door.
In addition to this happy revelation I was even given a gratuitous work-out – lucky me! This took the form of dragging a reluctant and struggling toddler back to the car. The contrary Chou decided today, after some weeks of screaming his disinclination to go to school (preferring to “stay home, play Mama”), that school was the place to be. Unfortunately for him only one maîtresse (and not his beloved Aline) was working today and children had to be signed up in advance to stay.
This is how we found ourselves at the park at half past eight (the only bribe I could think of at that time of the day to persuade him to accompany me willingly), on the coldest start to a morning that we have endured in some time.
This is why I had already hit the coke by ten o’clock. My New Year’s Resolution to kick the habit is going disastrously, but chemically-induced energy is otherwise hard to come by if you don’t drink coffee.
Until tomorrow, then, housework!
Mots du jour:
La grève – the strike maman – mummy secrétaire – secretary toute petite section – class for children who have turned two maternelle – nursery school département – administrative division of France (there are 96 in metropolitan France – I live in Haute-Savoie) maîtresse – mistress/teacher
Oh no, what a pain, but he is so very sweet… You have to keep reminding yourself that you were initially reluctant to send him to nursery at all.
LikeLike
I am always happy to have him at home. I just wish that I had been given any notice about it, and not had to struggle getting him out of the house and in to the car in the first place.
LikeLike
That’s the thing the French do best – strike!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
They also do a mean croissant 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
You at least are protesting,people in Serbia never even think to try.You could take them all property they have,they wouldn’t say a word.
LikeLike
I am always very grateful to have so many privileges and to live in a country where people have the freedom and the means to strike. I wish that they wouldn’t exert their right quite so frequently though 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
That must be so frustrating! Geeze, you would think there would be better conversation going on with the school.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We weren’t there on Monday so we miss out. It’s a pain but there is nothing I can do about it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
At least when the Germans strike it tends to be one thing at a time. Trains or nurseries, not both. You would think someone would have told you the nursery was closed!
We have a large combined kitchen/dining/living space so I wouldn’t even be able to use the toddler as excuse for not doing the washing up. Of course, I don’t actually have a toddler and I generally neglect the washing up without even bothering with an excuse 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
It didn’t surprise me at all that I hadn’t been told! You cannot possibly keep up with the washing up and read scores of books every month. The books are clearly more important.
LikeLike
Tell that to my other half 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
😂
LikeLike
Oh how I love educators! I got 2 days notice about costumes for “Book Day”! What glee! At least now I know I can rustle up a themed costume with whatever tat I find lying around. Hope the rest of the week is kinder to you x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh no! But how resourceful you must be. Which character you did both decide to represent in the end? Thanks – it’ll be grand. Tomorrow is Friday!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We fumbled together a Where’s Wally getup-thank the lord for stripey tshirts! She had to borrow my glasses but it looked the business! I know…roll on the weekend eh?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh awesome! Yes indeed 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh no! It’s so annoying when you have the day planned out and everything goes disastrously wrong!
I really enjoy your use of French within your post – I learned French for 7 years but I’m still no where near fluent! Makes me want to go and learn my vocabulary again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s certainly a little frustrating! Thanks! I’ve been here seven years (and studied French all the way through school) and I’m still not good enough yet!
LikeLike
oh goodness1 I remember what a lifeline a couple of hours in nursery was when mine were really little, i know you don’t mind (or even enjoy) having him home, its just the unexpected change of plans that sucks!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I know! It’s just a couple of hours to think straight 😉 school was in session again yesterday…hoorah!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not being told about strikes or absence is awful. It happened to me one time too many at the university I attended so I can feel your pain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That must have been such a complete drag. There was never a strike when I was at uni. The only time lectures were cancelled (as far as I can remember) were because of bad snow!
LikeLike
It really was! Oh, that’s understandable. Here in Norway, no amount of snow can close down anything, so we don’t get those ‘snow days’ off.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Neither can it here in France. The UK does have a tendency to panic when it snows 😉
LikeLike
Oh, yes, the French do strike so well! I have (somewhere) a list of the planned SNCF strikes, up till June (2 a week!) but there are, apparently, also going to be unplanned strikes too, so that those who wish to plan their travels around the strikes may still be caught out.
None of this British one day strike and that’ll show ’em attitude here in France! When they strike, French do it with force!! Burning tyres and aqll!
LikeLike
It’s awful – and all for politics! My husband reckons that he’ll just have to drive in to work for the next 3 months. I hope it doesn’t affect you too much.
LikeLike
I won’t be going anywhere by public transport for a while yet! I hope that my planned Christmas Market excursion to Strasbourg won’t get spoiled though (There’s 8 months to go yet!) Of course, it will no doubt spread to Air Traffic Controllers in the summer months, which will affect so many people.
LikeLike
Hopefully the strikes won’t continue into summer and beyond. Oh, don’t even think about the horrors of air traffic control strikes! It’s not worth the grief. I hope that you are feeling a little more like your old self this weekend 🙂
LikeLike