Save the creche
I was at my local swimming pool on Friday and noticed that they had closed the creche! A lifeline for me when I was at home on maternity leave, this was a great facility – I would drop off my daughter for an hour while I went for a swim all by myself, using the opportunity to shower and dry my hair in peace afterwards. A little bit of pampering that would set me up for the day.
This facility was fairly unique in my experience of being a new Mum, because it was all about me. All other services I came across in the world of new motherhood seemed to be about the child, or about my relationship with my child – the toy library, baby massage etc. The creche at the swimming pool simply allowed me to go and enjoy a swim.
I am thinking about setting up a ‘bring back the creche’ campaign. What do you think?
Absolutely, great idea! Wish I had had one of those when I was on maternity leave. Would be interesting to find out why it’s shutting, too – lack of demand, or the problem of regulation?
Talking of swimming – a friend in Sheffield told me that the council now demands a ‘one-to-one’ ratio for adults swimming with kids under 4. So she cannot take her four year old and one year old swimming on her own (or with a friend who has two kids of the same age). In other words – if you’re a mum of young kids with a fairly standard gap, you cannot take them swimming! She’s furious. Would be good to know about other such regulations – round our way, the rule is one adult to two kids under 8 – ridiculous and impossible for parents with three children, but now seems relatively liberal compared to Sheffield!