Children!!

Today began rather sluggishly. First of all there was the heavy cloud and mist which hid Cangas and Moaña on the other side of the estuary. That was a bit of a surprise after the bright mornings we have had lately. I put it down to the fact that my Phil had promised/threatened to go for a swim today; now, that was bound to put a hex on the weather. Then I went out for bread only to find that my favourite panadería was closed. Not only that but the next nearest, a rather inferior establishment, was also shut so that I had to go farther afield to buy bread for breakfast. I know it’s the 1st of the month but I wasn’t aware that the 1st of July was any kind of special holiday. Maybe the flour grinders are on strike.

As we progressed towards midday the weather picked up. Just as the weather report in El País suggested, however, there is still cloud over Galicia. Other parts of Spain, central and southern for the most part, are on yellow alert for extreme heat. Somehow I think they are aware that it is very hot where they are. Do we really need reminding that when it’s hot we should drink lots of water, walk on the shady side of the street, wear sunhats and use lots of high factor suntan lotion?

By 1.30 the pool was full of children as usual. I think we must be going for the record between our two blocks of flats for the largest number of children in a pool at any one time. Strangely enough, however, I read in the paper the other day that Galicia is still going through a crisis de natalidad. The birth rate, in other words, is still too low.

Apparently Spain has the fifth lowest birth-rate in the world and Galicia, along with Asturias and Castilla-León, has the lowest in Spain. You certainly wouldn’t think so from the number of prams and buggies that are pushed around the centre of Vigo and from the number of baby-bumps you see around, including one that sunbathes regularly by our pool. Well, your skin tans better when you are pregnant, so they say, and I expect she’s just taking advantage of that fact.

The problem it seems, is not really one of fertility. Neither is it all explained by la crisis, although that does explain why some people put off having children until later. Statistics show that having more money does not necessarily make you have more children; high income families also have few children. If you compare Galicia with the north of Portugal you discover that there they have bigger families despite having similar or more likely lower average incomes.

One thing that skews the statistics is longevity: gallegas live longer and so the birth-rate appears lower. Another factor is that in some cases immigrants, who usually have a higher birth-rate apparently, have returned home because of la crisis, taking their children with them, of course.

However, a very important factor seems to be that mysterious thing: quality of life. Couples want to have children AND maintain their previous standard of living, providing a good life for their children and still having fun themselves. There is also some feeling that the state does not help enough. It’s all very well to offer €2,500 for each child born but people feel the need for more ongoing assistance, more tax relief, child benefits and so on. There are even those who feel that parents are discriminated against in Spain. It’s not just money either; time to be with the family comes into it. Although many grandparents do look after their children’s children, increasing numbers of couples feel that there is no point in having children if you are going to ask someone else to do the bulk of the childcare. So they put off starting a family until they feel they can do things their way. It’s a point of view I can fully understand.

Meanwhile, we still have plenty of children around here. However, it’s approaching the time when they are all going in for lunch. Time for a swim in an almost empty pool, I think.