We have been saying for some time that work and family reconciliation in our country is deplorable. If we add to this that the purchasing power is not comparable to that of other countries, that public nursery places are very limited and that private nursery costs 26% more than university tuition, the result is news like this : Spanish grandparents are the ones who spend more time caring for the grandchildren of the European Union.
Said in figures, the grandparents of our country spend an average of 7 hours a day with his grandchildren in front of the European average, which stands at 5 hours a day.
These are the results of a study conducted by the professors of the Complutense University Nuria Badenes and María Teresa López.
Less part-time contracts
It should be noted that in Spain part-time hiring is less than in the rest of the European Union and this is one of the main causes of grandparents spending two more hours with grandchildren than their European homonyms.
In Europe, 31.2% of women work part-time, compared to 22.8% of women who request a reduction in working hours. In the case of men, 7.7% of Europeans work part-time for 4.1% of Spaniards.
However, there are fewer grandparents taking care of grandchildren in Spain
Although Spanish grandparents who take care of their grandchildren spend more time than Europeans only one in four grandparents has to take care of their grandchildren, while in Europe it does one in three.
According to the authors of the study, the explanation is that in Europe the care of the grandchildren has more to do with emotional and voluntary issues (more grandparents take care of their grandchildren, but they are less time with them), while in Spain the work of caregiver does not It is always voluntary, but responds to a need in the absence of alternatives, which adds to the feeling of responsibility of the grandparents in this situation.
In my work I have the opportunity to talk with some grandparents and there are cases that really surprise. I always have in mind an octogenarian gentleman (although it does not seem so), which is always in a hurry because He has to go to school to find his great-granddaughter.
I also remember now the conversation with a lady, critical of the situation of having to take care of the grandchildren "because it is what there is" who believed that the current standard of living is different from that of his time: "now young people need more, because They spend more. ” I could only prove him right. "But of course, you can't say anything, if they don't get angry," he finally told me.
To reflect
These data have to serve to reflect, a little more if possible, on the current employment and family situation and see where citizens' wishes should go.
It makes no sense that some "domino" grandparents (those who should be resting in their last years) have endless obligations and "work" schedules of seven hours.
Until we parents move a finger and fight for our children, that They deserve to be raised and educated by their parents, the circus will remain open and functioning.
