Well Im pleased to say that at very long last normality returns to Spain, well nearly, as primary school children go back to school today– albeit only half days… us mums are grateful for small mercies! (Secondary schools go back next Monday) That may sound rather harsh but if you had school aged children that had been off since the middle of June then Im sure you would feel no different. The dreaded phrase “Im bored” generally starts being muttered even before the end of the month and you can only look tearfully at the calendar, knowing that you have three pages to turn before you can even begin to get back to normality.
It is an extremely long time to try and keep children entertained and I don´t know of many parents, be they British or Spanish that think it is a good idea. But it´s the way things have been here for years so very unlikely to change anytime soon….
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| Carrefour create a special section at this time of the year |
Carrefour hypermarket has been absolutely packed with parents and children collecting school books that they have pre-ordered. Here in Spain the schools do not provide the text books and you have to purchase them for your child – and they don´t come cheap. Last year my sons came to 480 euros and they are big heavy ones which they have to take in every day. Some of the younger ones can barely lift their rucksacks as they are so heavy – it really isn´t doing their backs any favours! But lo and behold, my school have at last come into the 21st Century this year and decided that all pupils should have tablets! Great idea – except for the cost, but then in the long run it will work out cheaper. However, what annoys me is that they are charging 29 euros per book… surely it should be substantially cheaper than the hard copy but in some cases it is the same if not more looking at last years price list.
Then on top of that you have to buy books for them to write in, stationary and the school also hand out a list of other items you need to provide which they use for “plasticas” – art. Last years list consisted of coloured card, paint, crepe-paper, reams of white paper to name a few of the things and ended up costing over one hundred euros! Some parents take the list to the local “papeleria”, the local village stationary shop, which is a bit like a mini WHSmith except without the reasonable prices! Now looking at it logically, and I have mentioned this to the directora, or headmistress at my son´s school, it would be far easier for the school to order in bulk from a wholesaler and get a much better price. The response is that “parents like to get involved” – err NO. I don´t know any mother who feels the need to waste half a day trying to find coloured cellophane paper or other obscure items on a list.
In Spanish schools, lunches are another contentious issue. They break up for lunch “hour” which in fact isn´t an hour but two and a half hours! You have two options – the child has “comedor”, hot school lunch or you take them home. There is no possibility to give them their own packed lunch to eat at school. Now for working parents this is an impossibility which is why, if you ever happen to be passing a school at lunchtime you will see an army of pensioners collecting their grandchildren. However, those that do not have any do not have that luxury – so you either pay what I think is an extortionate amount for what you get. My son´s school charge 8 euros for lunch – you can get a 3 course lunch with half a bottle of wine for under 5 euros in a chinese here.Thankfully my son is now at secondary so they do not have lunches as they finish then, having started at 8am! That is the only thing which we are dreading after the long summer lie-ins – the very early start. It will take a few weeks to get back into the routine and there will be some very tired children around and probably parents too!
My advise to non parents – keep off the roads at school times which is four times a day. Morning, twice at lunch – picking up then dropping off and at the end of the day. If you think that parking is bad here then you´ve never been near a school. Sometimes I shake my head in bewilderment at how these mums park and seriously wonder if they have actually passed their driving test! You will also have two policia locals blowing their whistles endeavouring to direct traffic – now that´s a productive use of resources… whats wrong with a lollypop lady or man come to think of it, like they have back in the UK, or have they all disappeared due to health and safety?
