It’s 8:30 a.m. Thursday morning at Bon Voyage. The Animation and Leisure Center (CAL), led by Steeve Demana, is waking up in a slight cacophony. About thirty children arrive, accompanied by a dad or a mom, who leave right away. Nathalie and Patricia are there to greet an excited crowd, although still a bit sleepy. A quarter of an hour later, the coloring workshop begins, and the latecomers hurry: “It’s the buses’ fault,” a young woman excuses herself sarcastically.
After several minutes of exchanging papers and colored pencils, the children, aged 5 to 10, become impatient. The time has come to climb the three floors to reach the sports area located on the roof. “We have to go up,” explains Nathalie. “The first moments were calm. The children didn’t dare to make a sound. Now, they are restless and need to let off steam!” Under a beautiful sun, the boys form two teams and take to the soccer field. The girls scatter. Some race, others clown around or run in circles, in joy and good humor, like Kenza, 9 years old, and Bouchra, 8 years old: “It’s better than at school. We work and we are always punished,” the two girls exclaim in chorus. “Here, we have fun, it’s great,” they continue, delighted.
The Overwhelmed Animators
“Delighted” is not the adjective to describe the mindset of the animators. “Overwhelmed” seems more appropriate. They have a hard time taking care of everyone. One wants this, another wants that, so much so that they are a bit overwhelmed and fail to notice a little boy crying on the ground. “The joys of soccer with the older ones,” Patricia sighs. “It’s complicated. We are only two but need to be behind them all the time. We can never leave children unmonitored or we don’t know what could happen. Moreover, they are rowdy! But we are happy to be here,” she smiles.
Around ten-thirty, fatigue sets in and the most courageous athletes can be counted on the fingers of one hand. “We won and they want to stop,” says Corentin, 9 years old, goalkeeper for a day. “I was too strong,” the little blond boasts proudly, drawing the jealousy of the losers. Nathalie pulls out her “magic pouch,” distributes about fifteen sheets, and everyone sings in unison: “Oh you plus me, plus all those who want it…” The song Toi+Moi by Grรฉgoire is a big hit in schoolyards! Downstairs, Patricia and the rest of the troop start a dance contest until lunchtime. The girls play starlets, swaying in front of a long mirror, t-shirts lifted up bikini-style. “I’m Beyoncรฉ,” one of them exclaims. An hour of swinging later, it’s lunchtime. On the menu, sandwiches and fruit to keep in shape. The afternoon will be calmer. Movies and cartoons are on the schedule. And while their children are having fun, in Bon Voyage or elsewhere, the parents take to the streets, angry.
