Day Two: how to get a kid to school

My son Millan has a series of books called "How do dinosaurs...?" and it explains to kids how certain things in their lives work. Like going to the dentist or doctor, using manners, being a good friend etc. There is one on going to school. I could write a new version after today.

Our Indigenous Leader informed us that today, I was going to drive her in the troopie to deliver report cards. Women's business, sorry Matt. He got to visit classrooms.

We took off to top camp, which is basically the main part of town. And we discovered pretty quickly that due to the Bush holiday just ending, and the upcoming Darwin Show this Friday, there weren't many people around. So, we changed tack and stopped trying to deliver report cards to non-existent families and start chasing up kids for school. 

They have their Confirmation in five weeks time, and it's a really big deal in the community. It's going to be a huge day, with Mass spoken in murinhpartha and then ceremonial dancing afterwards. But, we need the kids who are doing it to come to school to complete their preparation or else they won't be able to participate. It's a bit of a carrot with the parents, they really want their kids to do their Confirmation. The kids on the other hand......it's complicated.

As our Indigenous Leader explained to me, the young parents don't really have control over their children, the kids are the bosses. How this came about, we didn't really discuss. But it's not always the case. Some families are really supportive. Like Gregory's. Sorry Gregory, I know that you were inside, nice and cosy in front of the tv this morning (it was actually really cold this morning, southerly breeze blowing so the kids didn't want to come to school!!!), but his parents, and his aunties and uncles, and grandmother, were all giving it to him to get out in the troopie! Yep, I wouldn't have disagreed with them either mate, good choice!

Next, we went to pick up a couple of young girls. But we just couldn't get them to get into the car. I guess when your sister is going bush for the day, it's a bit more appealing than coming to sit in class.

Anyway, after driving all over the countryside, watching kids cry/run/hide for 2 hours, we had collected 4 kids. At lunch (an hour later), we still had three. And they assured me they were coming tomorrow...because now I know where they live!!