Infanta Leonor, News and Pictures Part 4: December 2006 - January 2007

[donnaK]

How long is the trip to Mallorca?

I guess that the problem might not even be the trip itself (the whole family spends Easter together up there, right? So I doubt she'd be left behind), but the standing during the photo op. Everyone surely remembers how bad she seemed during the National parade, mere two weeks before Leonor was born (this was her last official act before the birth).

So, if it'll be almost the same timing (2 weeks or so before the birth) than Easter mass, that happens on the 8th.

The duration of the flight between Madrid and Mallorca is quite short, about 1 hour and 15 minutes each way. The problem is that the plane taking off and landing is not good for a 8-month pregnant woman. Also most commercial flights don't take pregnant women who are about to give birth. This probably isn't an issue for a royal though. If it's, Letizia can always tag along with the Kings in the official plane.
There is also ferry to Mallorca. I remember Cristina and her family took ferry to Mallorca because of the workers' strike last summer. But I don't know how long the ferry takes.
I very much doubt Letizia will be in Mallorca. But Felipe can always take Leonor for a day or two to attend the Sunday mass.

 

[biboquinhas]

One year old is the perfect time for them to go to nursey school! They have to learn how to play with other children, how to share toys, to wait for their meals, to behave in society!They must know that the world is not only around them!!!!!!!!She must go to nursery school soon otherwise she will become a veru spoil baby

 

[lilytornado]

One year old is the perfect time for them to go to nursey school! They have to learn how to play with other children, how to share toys, to wait for their meals, to behave in society!They must know that the world is not only around them!!!!!!!!She must go to nursery school soon otherwise she will become a veru spoil baby

I don't know. I don't think she would become spoiled, soon she has a new baby sister, she will learn anyway that she has to share her toys, sometimes the new baby needs more attention, etc.

 

[Lauritas138]

One year old is the perfect time for them to go to nursey school! They have to learn how to play with other children, how to share toys, to wait for their meals, to behave in society!They must know that the world is not only around them!!!!!!!!She must go to nursery school soon otherwise she will become a veru spoil baby

When i was a baby i didn´t go to a nursey school and i am an absolutely normal, estroverted and sociable girl so ....please, don´t be so dramatic,you are very exaggerated.

 

[MissSaga]

So will Leonor just never go to nursery school? IThat would be a little abnormal, wouldn't it? Now that not only the dutch and norwegian royal kids does it, but also Christian, won't it soon be time for Leonor?

 

[Aurora810]

I think there are benefits to nursery school but at the same time. I don't think we can go so far as to say Leonor will become a spoiled child and not know how to behave if she doesn't go. That's a little extreme. She's going to have someone else to share with and be around plus she has lots of cousins to be around also. Felipe and Letizia are her parents no one else. And they can make the decisions as far as what is best for their daughter.

What one family does with their kids might not be right for another family's kids. For example, some parents choose private schools for their kids, some choose public schools, others choose boarding schools, and some others even choose home schooling.

Maybe F and L don't feel nursery school is necessary if I was a parent I'm not so sure I would feel nursery school was necessary for my kids. It just depends on the family dynamics and who the child is around. Or at least that's my opinion. I'm not willing at this stage before I even have kids to say that I'm definitely sending them to nursery school I want to wait and see what their personalities are like and see also how many kids are around them without me sending them to nursery school. Hey but that's just me! Everyone has the right to their own opinion.

p.s. I personally think it's completely unfair to compare what the other children of other crown princely couples are doing. But I think that opinion probably comes out in my overall post.

 

[mapian]

So will Leonor just never go to nursery school? IThat would be a little abnormal, wouldn't it? Now that not only the dutch and norwegian royal kids does it, but also Christian, won't it soon be time for Leonor?

I think that would be abnormal that Christian go to nursery school at 17 months old, when their parents can care him in house.

IMO, the better age to go a nursery school is 2-3 years old just as Ingrid of Norway, I did it with my children. Leonor has a lot of cousins and children of friends of their parents that play with her. Probably she will begin at nursery school after the summer, a good election IMO.

 

[magnik]

Elisabeth of Belgium was two when she go to the kindergarden, I think.

 

[Her_Majesty]

One year old is the perfect time for them to go to nursey school! They have to learn how to play with other children, how to share toys, to wait for their meals, to behave in society!They must know that the world is not only around them!!!!!!!!She must go to nursery school soon otherwise she will become a veru spoil baby

That's such a strange opinion...
I don't share your it at all. In Germany little kids start going to the kindergarden when they are 3 or 4. I'm quite surprised Christian is going to visit the nursery school so early.

It seems you always compare the little kids (Christian and Leonor) all the time. They both live in different countries with diffrent point of views. If Letizia and Felipe decided to send Leonor to nursery school later : Well, I just can say that I accept this. All parents want just the best for their child and I'm 100 % sure Felipe and Letizia don't want their daughter to become a "spoil baby".

I really get tired of this never-ending Leonor vs. Christian comparisons. Is there really only one right one to educate children? Not at all. So, let Letizia and Felipe educate Leonor in their personal way and let Mary and Fred educate Christian in their way.
That's what I wanted to say.
Amen

 

[catango]

That's such a strange opinion...
I don't share your it at all. In Germany little kids start going to the kindergarden when they are 3 or 4. I'm quite surprised Christian is going to visit the nursery school so early.

It seems you always compare the little kids (Christian and Leonor) all the time. They both live in different countries with diffrent point of views. If Letizia and Felipe decided to send Leonor to nursery school later : Well, I just can say that I accept this. All parents want just the best for their child and I'm 100 % sure Felipe and Letizia don't want their daughter to become a "spoil baby".

I really get tired of this never-ending Leonor vs. Christian comparisons. Is there really only one right one to educate children? Not at all. So, let Letizia and Felipe educate Leonor in their personal way and let Mary and Fred educate Christian in their way.
That's what I wanted to say.
Amen

I couldn't agree more.
It's enough, and please don't tell that here is a free opinion forums, because comparations, are really hateful, we are sure Leonor some day will go to a nursery school, so please wait, this is the Leonor forum, not what happen if Christian does something and Leonor Doesn't, and bla bla bla.

ENOUGH.

 

[Vanesa]

I think there are benefits to nursery school but at the same time. I don't think we can go so far as to say Leonor will become a spoiled child and not know how to behave if she doesn't go. That's a little extreme. She's going to have someone else to share with and be around plus she has lots of cousins to be around also. Felipe and Letizia are her parents no one else. And they can make the decisions as far as what is best for their daughter.

What one family does with their kids might not be right for another family's kids. For example, some parents choose private schools for their kids, some choose public schools, others choose boarding schools, and some others even choose home schooling.

Maybe F and L don't feel nursery school is necessary if I was a parent I'm not so sure I would feel nursery school was necessary for my kids. It just depends on the family dynamics and who the child is around. Or at least that's my opinion. I'm not willing at this stage before I even have kids to say that I'm definitely sending them to nursery school I want to wait and see what their personalities are like and see also how many kids are around them without me sending them to nursery school. Hey but that's just me! Everyone has the right to their own opinion.

p.s. I personally think it's completely unfair to compare what the other children of other crown princely couples are doing. But I think that opinion probably comes out in my overall post.

I share totally your opinion. Is for that, my brother and his wife doesn't send his son to kindergarten until he has 4 years old. They wanted to educate him by themselves, for he could understand their family values since the very start of his little life. Letting this so delicate task to the sate, when children are so little and could be easily influenced is dangerous. But nowadays, childrens are to fast separed from their families and all modern structure is made on this purpose. And now, the problem reached little Royals too...

 

[asma]

One year old is the perfect time for them to go to nursey school! They have to learn how to play with other children, how to share toys, to wait for their meals, to behave in society!They must know that the world is not only around them!!!!!!!!She must go to nursery school soon otherwise she will become a veru spoil baby

I think one year old is too young to attend nursery school,I know that a lot of working parents have to do that, but it would be better for the baby to stay home with mom or dad or even a babysitter.this makes an emotionally stable baby.

 

[planetcher]

Are Sverre Magnus and Emmanuel already in nursery/daycare?

One year old is the perfect time for them to go to nursey school! They have to learn how to play with other children, how to share toys, to wait for their meals, to behave in society!They must know that the world is not only around them!!!!!!!!She must go to nursery school soon otherwise she will become a veru spoil baby

Why are you always comparing Danish Christian and Spanish Leonor? Christian is starting nursery at 1 because that is the norm in Denmark according to other Danish forums. I don't know what the norm is in Spain, but here in the US 1 year old is too early for nursery, maybe 2-3 years as I remember from my young cousins and the kids I worked with. Leonor will also learn "how to play with other children, how to share toys, to wait for her meals, to behave in society" even if she starts at 2 or 3 years of age or whatever the norm is in Spain. Trust me, I used to work at a day care center in college.

 

[Mari_*]

Stupid comparisons that have nothing to do with each other!

 

[biboquinhas]

Why are you always comparing Danish Christian and Spanish Leonor? Christian is starting nursery at 1 because that is the norm in Denmark according to other Danish forums. I don't know what the norm is in Spain, but here in the US 1 year old is too early for nursery, maybe 2-3 years as I remember from my young cousins and the kids I worked with. Leonor will also learn "how to play with other children, how to share toys, to wait for her meals, to behave in society" even if she starts at 2 or 3 years of age or whatever the norm is in Spain. Trust me, I used to work at a day care center in college.

I didn't compare Leonor to Christian and in my opinion one year old is enough and the perfect time to start school in all countries, Denmark, Spain, Portugal...My kid is 15 months year old and he loves to play with other children, he knows how to share toys, and he is not afraid of other children, I cannot say the same of my friend son who is beeing raise by his grandmothers. He is very spoil, he doesn't want to play with other kids, he doesn't know how to play, how to share his toys, he only knows and wants his parents and his grandfathers! So in my opinion Princess Leonor should go to school very soon.

 

[Paty]

So Biboquinhas are saying: ( If I understand in a good way)

That a one year old boy/gril that is goin at nursey school, know how to share toys, to play with others childrens , and a one year old boy/gril that doesn´t go to a nuesey school don´t know how to do all this things. Really?

I think that this comparation doesn´t make sense, dont you think?

 

[princess leonor]

So Biboquinhas are saying: ( If I understand in a good way)

That a one year old boy/gril that is goin at nursey school, know how to share toys, to play with others childrens , and a one year old boy/gril that doesn´t go to a nuesey school don´t know how to do all this things. Really?

I think that this comparation doesn´t sence, dont you think?

I agree with you Paty, it doesn't make sence. It depends very much on the child and his some situation. I don't believe that if Leonor doesn't go to nursing school she won't be able to share toys and play with other children. She will have a sister very soon who will be playing with Leonor's toys and with her and let us not forget she has 7 cousins. How can a little girl surrounded by that many other children not know how to play with other children. She really does not need nursing school for that

 

[CRIS]

This is completely absurd please. I do not understand because always you are comparing and judging as they educate her daughter. Because you want to take to your children with a year to nursing school, it does not mean that you are better mother than other than does not take to their children.

 

[fandesacs2003]

I agree with you Paty, it doesn't make sence. It depends very much on the child and his some situation. I don't believe that if Leonor doesn't go to nursing school she won't be able to share toys and play with other children. She will have a sister very soon who will be playing with Leonor's toys and with her and let us not forget she has 7 cousins. How can a little girl surrounded by that many other children not know how to play with other children. She really does not need nursing school for that

Going to nursing school helps babies to socialize, but one year and a half is quite early. Leonor has cousins, and also other childrens to play with, we should not imagine her left alone in her room during the whole day. So I do not see the obligation to send her in the nursery, on the other hand, if parents decide to send their children why not? There is no good or bad parents according to IF they send their babies to the nursery, they are just different methods of education.

 

[adelaide]

We are dreaming!!! This discussion is totally surrealistic for many points of vew!

First as some of you is telling, it don't exist any rules to edict how to have to do for sociabilize your little baby girl or boy. It's so true that except very privileged countries which have an official organisation as kinder garden for the little ones, the age for the scolarisation is three year, not to began a lower circle but until six to began the premises of the life in society, to began the learning of some disciplines as the sing, the design, the society 's games and some times -it's very variable- the lecture.

Before that it don't exist official kinder garden except the day nursery were it's very difficult -for instance in Paris - to inscribe your little baby becaue there is not many places and it's mad by pryority for the woman who work!

This question of nursing school is a true discussion of salon because quiet all the population of a Country is obliged to put his/her baby in a nursing school because the woman are working, but very often it's difficult to do it because it don't exist not enough structures for them. In this case, you can have other possibilties to make to keep you baby, this is the Child Minder whom the role is to keep some babies during the day while their fathers are working!

But, please to pretend that a baby have to go to the nursery school since he is one year is totally irrealistic because few, very few countries have the structure for that and neither paediatricians nor paedopsychiatics have recommanded to put your baby so young to a kinder garden for learning him the begining of the life in society.

And to end, in my knowledge the good age to sociabilize your child is about two years and a half : when he is becomming a little autonomous and abble to understand the pleasure to game with others babies. A this age the babies is totally receptive to his enviromnent!!!! That' s all!!!!

 

[marezdote]

I started nursery school a few months before I turned 3. Before that I was in a playgroup with some other children. Each week we went to a different house and played together. I don't think that it is neccesary for children to go to nursery school or day care when they are Leonor's age just that they have some other children to play with. I am sure that Leonor gets the chance to play with other children whether they are her cousins or children of Felipe's and Letizia friends.

 

[lilytornado]

I didn't compare Leonor to Christian and in my opinion one year old is enough and the perfect time to start school in all countries, Denmark, Spain, Portugal...My kid is 15 months year old and he loves to play with other children, he knows how to share toys, and he is not afraid of other children, I cannot say the same of my friend son who is beeing raise by his grandmothers. He is very spoil, he doesn't want to play with other kids, he doesn't know how to play, how to share his toys, he only knows and wants his parents and his grandfathers! So in my opinion Princess Leonor should go to school very soon.

Well, it is not really school anyway, is it? It is Kindergarden, pre-kindergarden. I am used to kindergarden starting at 3/4 and school at 6/7.
School starts when the children start to learn how to read/write/calculate. So a one-year old would never start "school" at one year old, but rather some pre-kindergarden/ playgroup, etc.

 

[planetcher]

I didn't compare Leonor to Christian and in my opinion one year old is enough and the perfect time to start school in all countries, Denmark, Spain, Portugal...My kid is 15 months year old and he loves to play with other children, he knows how to share toys, and he is not afraid of other children, I cannot say the same of my friend son who is beeing raise by his grandmothers. He is very spoil, he doesn't want to play with other kids, he doesn't know how to play, how to share his toys, he only knows and wants his parents and his grandfathers! So in my opinion Princess Leonor should go to school very soon.

So you're basically saying that all kids should start school at 1 and a half and that they will end up spoiled if they don't and they will not learn how to share and will be afraid of other children, correct?. Not all kids are like your friend's son, you know? Why are you just picking on Leonor? Are Alexia of Holland, Sverre of Norway, and Emmanuel of Belgium already in school? A couple of them are even older than Leonor. Elisabeth of Belgium and Ingrid Alexandra of Norway started school at about 2 years of age and add to that Felix and Nikolai of Denmark. How are you gonna defend that now?

 

[adelaide]

I want to add a little word in this surealistic discussion :the age to go to a kinder garden or other structures for keeping the little baby girls and boys and make them partnerships of a great Country - - don't concern only the princely children and it's obvious that all that is organised for this baby's education, generally speaking, is doing for all the futur citizen!!!!:smartass:

 

[morhange]

Wow, what a heated discussion!

I don't know whether F&L have decided to send Leonor to school, but I think it is good that F&M decided to send Christian to school. He doesn't really have any other children to play with. Nikolai and Felix are 3+ and 6+ years older than Christian, and I know Frederik has said he doesn't want Christian to have to have that sheltered family only atmosphere that he and Joachim grew up with.

But it's good for both children to mix with other children and not just their cousins. If Leonor does become Queen, it will be good for her to start young mixing with children of different backgrounds. I went to a Montessori school when I was two and some of the children I met there I am still friends with, 17+ years later!

 

[planetcher]

^That's the thing, Leonor is not the only young princess (prince) who's not in school yet who's a little more than a year old. The poster is clearly saying that Leonor will end up spoiled, not learn how to share and how to behave in society because she hasn't started school, which I think is ridiculous. I think for her it's okay for other young princes and not for Leonor. Ingrid, Elisabeth (not sure if Amalia's in school already), Felix, Nikolai, Gabriel seem to be good girls and boys to me and they started at 2 or so.

 

[grevinnan]

The idea that children would be socially maladjusted if they are not sent off to school by an early age is quite silly. Perhaps if parents took the time to raise their own children they would find other solutions to nursery school at 1 1/2 for their offspring.

 

[Aurora810]

(not sure if Amalia's in school already)

I recently checked on this when the news of Christian going to nursery school was announced and yes Amalia has been going to nursery school.

 

[RhapsodyBrat]

One year old is the perfect time for them to go to nursey school! They have to learn how to play with other children, how to share toys, to wait for their meals, to behave in society!They must know that the world is not only around them!!!!!!!!She must go to nursery school soon otherwise she will become a veru spoil baby

i won't go into the whole argument anymore, but what i don't like about your statement is that it seems like you're pushing your opinion to be the best or the right one. i'm sorry but things won't go this way.

 

[Marengo]

Well, it is good to see such a variety of opinion here. And also good that we are not comparing two toddlers but two schoolsystems. However a discussion on the pro's and con's of sending children to school at what age is more appropriate for the members corner I think, or maybe there are special forums for schoolsystems around the world to? I am sure some international teachers organisation would have started such a thing by now
And at least we all agree that it is a good thing that the Princes of Asturias respect the schoolsystem of the country where they are living in, just as do the other royal families.