Hi all,
The new school year is about to start and I am amazed by the weight our kids must carry to school. The bag with the required books averages 10 Kg!
The WHO recommends that the weight should not exceed 10% of the weight of the kid. 10 Kg is way too much.
I think an initiative, one of these that you see sometimes while driving, should be started to ease this problem. Maybe they could have split books so they bring only parts of the full books or the books could have detachable sheets.
Our kids will all end up with spine problems!
The question is that I have no clue on how one can start one of these initiatives, especially if this can be done by a foreigner.
Anyone?

Who can launch a federal popular initiative?

A popular initiative can be launched by anyone who has the right to vote in Switzerland – including Swiss citizens living abroad.

https://www.ch.ch/en/demokratie/poli...ar-initiative/

Thanks!
It seems that I will need to find a Swiss that thinks that my initiative is important enough.

Actually schooling is a Cantonal responsibility. Rules will vary by canton

You can start a rant in the complaints section. I might contribute myself after schools start again on 16th.

Did you actually weigh the bag or is this a guess?

The full set of Harry Potter books in paperback weighs 3kg (according to Amazon). I can't imagine how many books your kid is carrying to get to 10kg. Do they have to carry every book back and forth every day? Seems excessive.

Good luck with your initiative.

It's rarely a good idea to go in guns ablaze. Everybody will automatically raise the shield, draw the sword, and prepare to battle instead of seeing you as a partner.

The first step should be the teacher and the schoolmaster, see what they say. It won't hurt to get a few allies either, also to get some feedback beforehand for yourself. The parents usually have a list of the other parents in the class, perhaps start there.

Also, you're in a much stronger position if you can suggest an approach to a solution (doesn't matter if it's not doable). Maybe you can remove 90% from those 3 folders and save 1kg with each?(you don't need stuff that's not the topic yet, perhaps 20 pages will do) Perhaps that 3kg book can be left in the classroom overnight? Maybe the other book isn't necessary yet? You get the idea

Clearly, we need fatter kids to reach this 10% target.

My thoughts as well, but I'm creating enough upheaval already without mentioning that.

It's been that way since I was a kid, back when the Berlin wall was still standing). Some of the smaller/weaker kids would hoist their bag on their desk and then sort of reverse into it to put it on. I'm not aware of any long-term side effects due to carrying a heavy bag, so no, your kids will not end up with spine problems, as long as their backpack is well padded, adjusted properly and they wear it correctly. It is recommended that primary school kids have a proper school bag (Thek) as normal backpacks don't usually have an ergonomically appropriate back section for them.

However, I understand that this concerns you, I'm just not sure what can be done about it, since the kids are carrying the books because they need them to do homework. Maybe you could organise an after school homework club at the school, so they can do their work there and leave their books? Or have the teacher develop a system whereby they schedule homework in a way that only requires them to take a maximum of three or four books home every night?

Another issue is that kids will often schlepp everything with them "just in case" there is a change to the lesson plan or because they can't be bothered to pack their bag differently every day. I would encourage parents to get their kids into the habit of packing the bag for the next day every evening based on the lessons of the next day. Assuming the kid has 6 subjects on a certain day, assuming an average weight of 500g per book, that would be 3 kg, plus a slim folder and some supplies, a small water bottle and the bag itself, you shouldn't really be looking at much more than 5 kg. Which should be manageable.

8 Kg in books that, according to her, she is gonna need every day. Plus a laptop and the weight of the bag. That has to be close to 10 Kg.

And clearly we need more kids to make sure they can support all of us who apparently have spine problems.

Take that photo out again, full name on all books!!

That kid is not all that small if they have to take the ZGB/OR along every day. Or has school become so bad, that the little ones have to threaten taking the teacher to court daily?

Are you Swiss?

Otherwise, NO!

Tom

16th of which month?

30th August here.

Tom

23 August in Vaud, 30 August in Geneva.

Obviously the latins savour their Summers more. Mid August just seems wrong, particularly when they are going to have more time off within 3 Months, Then a couple of weeks over Christmas, then ….

You all were lucky you had bags to carry them in. I carried mine home in my arms; bags were unheard of when I was at school.

Luxury! We were forced to rewrite every book every day before school started!

If the kids have a laptop, why don’t they have an e-version of their books. I betcha i could get all of that 8.1kg on my old iPad mini.

Too right! Barefoot through the snow, lucky to sleep in a puddle, gnawing on stones for dinner…

And I thought the cow horn thing was ridiculous.

With a laptop she has the Code of Obligations at her fingertips, including in German and English. Likewise ZGB.
Why does she think she needs to carry that book back and fourth every schoolday? How often does she actually need it?

Besides, she's probably in an apprenticeship or elsehow past the mandatory school years, people can easily carry quite a bit more than 10% their weight at that age.