"Certified"

This summer, on an extremely hot day, Mia went with a friend to a local schwimbad (swimming pool). I met up with them later in the afternoon. The pool (actually several pools and grassy areas too) were jam packed with people crammed together like sardines. I read later that it was a day with record attendance. When I finally found Mia and her friend, they were alone jumping from one of the dive boxes at the end of the pool. When I say alone, I mean they were without the Mom, but there were PLENTY of people around them. I was a little surprised (OK alot surprised), because my personality is to watch Mia like a hawk - especially with so many people, wave pools, diving boards, slides etc. I found her friends mom later, and she explained to me that her daughter had passed the German swimming course and gotten her certificate, so she is certified to be O.K. on her own. (it is a rigorous course, with certain requirements of time staying under water, diving, distance swimming etc). *as a side note too, if you do not get certified on your own earlier, like Mia's friend had done, in the third grade, ALL of the kids get certified to swim.

Last night, we had the parent meeting at Mia's school, and her teacher told us that the kids were not allowed to ride bikes alone to school until they are certified (and this happens in the 4th grade). Bikers must know the rules of the riding on the streets, and it is an intensive course to understand how to ride in all situations on a bike. You must have a "bike license" to ride.

As I was tucking Mia into bed last night, she was telling me about riding the bus earlier in the day. (I am always surprised because we never hear about these things until after they occur :-)). After a little clarification, it turns out that the polizei (police) took the 2nd grade class for a long bus ride to explain all about conduct and etiquette on the bus.  Mia now knows how to handle her back pack so as to not accidentally hit anyone else, she knows that the doors on the bus can't "hurt her" because they will open back up automatically, so not to be scared. She knows how to push the button so that the driver knows to stop at the next bus stop. And so on... She is, in a sense, now "bus certified."

These are all such little things, but it truly makes so much sense to me. The courses that they take are not simply check marks, but they learn all about the whys, hows, and what ifs too. Once they have learned this, it is engrained in them to know the ins and outs. Because everyone learns these rules in the same manner, the entire society follows the same rules and etiquette. It makes so much sense. Even the fishing certificate is months of education, because they learn all about the types of fish, how to not harm the fish, where it safe to fish etc.. It is not simply a phone call or a stop in an office to "buy" a fishing registration, it is about being educated. The same thing goes with driving. The course is very intensive, and you learn to drive in all types of situations. I think that is why the "no speed limit" autobahn works here, because everyone knows how to drive.

It all just makes so much sense to me. I totally understand why the society can function so nicely the way it does....