Today a guest teacher at Lucknow Kindergarten arrived shaken.  She has almost completed her three week practical experience with us, and today a neighbour had rushed out of his house clearly waiting for her with his coffee mug in hand and reprimanded her with all anger about her choice of car park.  (She had been parking there for two and one half weeks.) If she did it again he would report her to the authorities.  Kiri had parked with one wheel over the kerb  resting on the grass of the island in front of his home.  Kiri apologised,  telling him that she had thought she was being helpful keeping the narrow road a little clearer of parked cars. She restarted her car and moved it to suit his wishes.

By the end of the day Kiri said, I have to go out there again. I wonder if he will be there.

Clearly the incident still affected her. 

Vicki said "If he had been to this kindergarten he would know what to say."

Of course, we all had ideas of what he could have said.

"When you park on the grass I feel concerned that the grass will die."

"I feel concerned that your tyres might break the concrete kerb."

(We could only imagine that these were his issues.)

I know that for some ten years  children have left Lucknow with skills in place for telling people when something is wrong. Some of those children are now aged 15 years and younger.

I have always trusted that these children have retained their capabilities in the primary school playground and the secondary school courtyard?  Too much to hope for?

I know that so many other influences and expectations are impacting on their daily lives.