Family matters

Latest Comments

• Maybe a Solution to your problem...

  Hi Johanna,
  
  I read your article as I am in a similar situation as you. My Partner Daughter (21 months) and I have been living in Barcelona for the last month and have started looking for work.
  
  Our daughter Lily was in Child Care in Australia and was really benefiting from socialising with other children. But for the last 5 months since we have been travelling she hasn't had alot of contact with other children other than at local parks etc.
  
  I was thinking that maybe if you were interested I could babysit your son for the mornings that you required and that way my daughter also has a little play mate.
  
  Or if you have already found a childcare for your son, If any other mothers were in the same situation I think this might be a great alternative to childcare.
  
  :) Amy
  
  
  
  

  Posted by Amy Robertson May 25, 2011 09:48:09

• insightful comments

  Thanks so much for your insightful comments Maria.

  Posted by Johanna May 16, 2011 10:44:23

• Socializing young children

  Thank you for the article. At last somebody is addressing the elephant in the room. On what expert basis can people suggest that young children need socializing? Expert studies I have seen usually say the opposite that kids DON'T need to be playing together at a young age but instead need ADULT input and guidance! You do not learn from other kids how to be sensitive, patient and empathetic grown-ups. Why indeed is there zero discussion of this issue in the national press here? My experience has been that Catalan parents first show conviction in the fact that guarderia is the best choice for their child but when pressed further avoid discussion of the issue or say they they have no choice. I imagine that not everyone truly thinks that it is best for their children but are following suit in some type of collective delusion that it is fine for kids to be institutionalized from the age of 4 months. What will this generation of children be like, can we know? Perhaps yes if we only spent some time reading the expert studies on young brains carried out over the 25 years since we have been encouraged to put our kids into this type of care? If only the guarderia option had a better child to carer ratio then it might go some way to being acceptable. At 10 babies to a carer or 18 to 1 for toddlers, this type of childcare should not be available. What is needed is better quality care and better working hours that allow parents to at least have part-time if not full-time care of their children. My biggest concern is why it is that the international community of parents here often gets sucked into the normality of guarderia without question. Some expat, non-working mothers even feel the need to full-time their kids at nursery rather than look after them at home! Hiring and sharing babysitters is a great option if you need some time off or getting together with other parents (of whom there are many like you) is a wonderful option for kids' play. Spending lots of time with your kids when they are young is important for building parental tolerance and patience. Perhaps this is why you see so little of this on the home from school and guarderia runs or in the interaction with children in general here.

  Posted by Maria May 15, 2011 16:10:45

• Shared Cared Option

  All though there is no registered child-minding scheme in Spain as there is in both the UK and France, it is possible and affordable to share a carer for your child. Guarderias are not the only option if you would like you children to play with others (or before the age of 3 alongside other in parallel play isn't it?) There are plenty of qualified candidates in Barcelona posting on sites like www.kidsinbarcelona.com.

  Posted by Emma May 15, 2011 15:40:52