As the little one is getting older and I have more work to do, we have started looking around for nurseries here in Spain. They are currently building a locally run one in the village, but I have no idea of when it will be ready. Not September gone as was the original plan, that’s for sure.

So the other day I drove on to a nearby village to have a look at their nursery. I knew other foreign mothers had used it, and they spoke well of it.

Well…I don’t quite know where to start. The nursery consisted of two rooms as well as a large bathroom and a kitchenette. A small outside area covered with that stuff they use on playgrounds so the children don’t hurt themselves when they fall. A few tractors and cars etc. but no trees, grass or bushes.

Inside there was a TV in the corner blaring out cartoons and quite a lot of kids in those two rooms, as the doors where closed to the outside.

One (1!) woman greeted me as I entered with El Rubio.

Me:”So I just wanted to have a look around as I need some childcare and this place has been recommended to me by some mothers in my village. Are you here all alone?”

Her:”No, no. The other woman is just out buying the bread” (Note how it is THE bread. One must always have bread here in Spain and everybody go out and buy it every day for their meals. So it’s not some bread, but THE bread.)

Me:”How many kids are there here?”

Her:”29 kids. We are open between 9.30 to 1.30 and at 11.30 they have their breakfast* and we go out to play.”

At this point I was ready to leave. Two adults and 29 children between 9 months and, I guess, 4 years old? Blimey, those kids must just love all the attention they will get. And what if they just want to sit alone in a corner and play? Not possible. And what happens if a child is really upset one day and wants to be on the arm or lap most of the time? Not possible.

A little girl of 10 months was very tired and wanted to sleep, so she got put in her pram in the middle of the noisy room. 4 older children surrounded her eager to to take part in everything. A bit daunting for a tired little baby.

Not wanting to show my true feelings about the place, I asked for their telephone number in case I wanted a place. I got it and the woman also showed me a piece of paper that she told me they hand out to the parents.

Her:”This is our suggestions for what food the parents should bring with them on a weekly basis so it doesn’t get too boring for the children”

Again, thanks to my superb acting skills I think I managed to suppress  my true feelings of disbelief and despair. I can’t remember all their suggestions, but Thursday was biscuits and juice and Friday was bread and chocolate. Is it any wonder the Spanish kids are getting fatter?

Anyway, I left and went for breakfast with Rubio before we headed back home. Next week I will be hitting the nursery trail again.

* Note: Breakfast in Spain is usually between 9.30-11 when people will have a half hour break, go to a cafe and have a coffee and some tostada (toast) . Which meanis you go to a shop, the bank or similar to see someone, you might be told they are out for breakfast and all you can then do is wait around for 30 min. or more…but that’s a completely different story