Alex and the soccer

Alex has just started attending a soccer skills group for 3-5 year olds and he LOVES it. The people we stayed with in East Vancouver had a couple of boys 9 and 12 year olds, they were very into soccer and Alex would watch them kicking the ball around out the back. A couple of times he joined them and then pestered them to go out and kick the ball some more. When we moved to Ladner we bought Alex a soccer ball so he had something to kick around on playing the field next door. He really enjoyed it and we think he is pretty good, since both Ashley and I are fairly clueless of the skills required. He quickly got to kicking the ball as he ran along. So we asked him if he would like to play soccor, and he replied in the affirmative. They don't have teams for kids that little, but they had a skills group for his age. Alex was very excited to go. It is held in a gym, I guess so the instructor is not spending teh entire class chasing balls all over the country side. Alex was meserised throughout the whole 45 inute class. He listened attentively to the teacher and showed alot of control in what he was doing, where most of the other kids just wanted to boot the thing as hard and as far away as they possibly could. He was so cute. He did really well and was really proud of himself afterward, and asked if he could "do that again tomorrow" - bit like the pre-school. Unfortuately for both of these new activities he has not been able to attend for the past little while and forseeable future, due to a province wide teachers strike, which effects pre-schools as well as soccor instructors apparently. He was a bit disappointed, but what can you do. The government did a bit of a dastardly deed to the teachers, who had been out of contract since June. Over the government refused to negotiate a bargain of any kind to the teachers, throwing 0% on the table that they were willing to negotiate over with the teachers. Since the teachers were out of contract they threatened to strike, if contracted they would not legally be able to do this. So when the strike was called, the government passed a quick bill that extended the teacher's already concluded contract to June 2006, without negotiation of any kind. The teachers are extremely angry and are currently conducting an illegal walk-out; their employers are facing huge fines for the inconvenience, with picketters wages reduced to $50/day. I can see where the teachers are coming from and understand their frustration and anger over the way the goverment has handled this. The strike is causing chaos for working families who have to find alternative arrangements for their children or take time off to care for them while school is out. I feel sorry for the low income earners and others unable to take time off, but are forced to do so under the circumstances - thier wages are reduced to $0/day. I guess the teachers are trying to emphasise their importance to the community and that they are indeed an essential service. I hope it is resolved soon, little kids like Alex don't really understand why they can't go to soccer or pre-school and are disappointed, even if many of the older kids are just loving the extra days off.