AIBU - school holidays and wrap around care

[jabed]

Taken from another thread.

Why is it that so many parents select independent schools and then complain because we have longer holidays.

Would you be better off in state schools where the holidays are shorter?

Why select an independent and then complain about the holidays and the cost of covering child care in them?
Do you really dislike your children so much that you want rid of them most of the year? Or is it some other reason?

Thanks.

[AbbyRue]

Have you done a survey OP?

Longer holidays are only a pain when you cannot find cover. State or private - the cost of holiday playscheme is high.

[jabed]

Not at all. I mentioned it on another thread and got told I should take my amour elsewhere and start a new thread.

I just simply wanted to know why MNers complain so much about holidays ( because they are working ).

I like the holidays. I want to spend time with my DS. I dont want him in school being cared for by teachers all year round. I dont want him in holiday clubs etc.

That seems to be a minority view and so I wondered why others take the views they do, especially those who break an arm and a leg to pay for independent schools and then complain about need for childcare in the holidays. State schools have shorter holidays, maybe they would be better off there financially and in terms of wrap around care?

[titchy]

I am sure most parets would much prefer to spend school holidays with their children. Sadly most employers disagree so parents have no choice but to find childcare. Juggling work and kids is difficult.

(I take it you realise how much holiday most people get? You're a teacher - you have it easy!)

[Feenie]

Because school is predominantly childcare to many people.

[amirah85]

That's what I generally think about prople complaining about it being half term/school holidays again,expecially sahparents.shouldn't u be happy to have time with ur kids rather then seeing them a couple of hours a day?(I know now I'm going to get all the what about a difficult sn child etc etc,but am talking about a normal/average family situation)

[EvilTwins]

I see you wimped out of actually starting this thread in AIBU...

[jabed]

I see you wimped out of actually starting this thread in AIBU...

I dont follow. I have started it as AIBU

[AllPastYears]

Yes, I hate my children and I'm very glad that my employer only gives me 6 weeks holiday a year so I don't have to spend any longer than that with them.

[jabed]

Because school is predominantly childcare to many people

What a sad reflection. Yet I fear you could be right. It does appear that way when you read MNers comments.

[EvilTwins]

There is an AIBU topic- surely you know that? You have started this in Education, not in AIBU. Everyone knows you get lots of traffic and lots of opinions in the actual AIBU topic. Education, not so much.

[marriedinwhite]

I have never complained about the longer holidays.

Overall, I think it's better that my children have a mother who is happy and fulfilled and not isolated and bored doing mum/pta/charity things at home all day. I would love to have spent more time with them in some of the holidays but we always managed an acceptable compromise and if that hadn't been possible I could have reduced hours or given up work.

[Mintyy]

What a funny little thread.

[jabed]

There is an AIBU topic- surely you know that?

No I didnt actually. I only read the education topics and then really only this one and secondary and HE

[EvilTwins]

In that case, you should try moving your thread- it'd get a lot more traffic.

[pianomama]

jaybed - why exactly do independent school have longer holidays then state schools?Is it on the assumption that if you can afford the fees, you can afford to be SAHM?

[jabed]

why exactly do independent school have longer holidays then state schools?

Originally I think the holidays were to allow pupils to travel home and have time with families. Most of those who could afford schooling may have been many miles from the school. Some ( like now) would be abroad. Also parents wanted time to be with their offspring (unlike now it often seems).

Originally state schools had the same holidays as independent schools as they were modelled on them ( unless of course you were in a poor school belonging to the workhouse or a cottage school for orphans when school was all year long none stop). Even when I was a lad we had the same holidays. Its only been recently state school holidays have been shorter.

[slipshodsibyl]

Everyone knows you get lots of traffic and lots of opinions in the actual AIBU topic

Don't move it there. It ends up with you feeling like a grouse on 12th July!

[notcitrus]

My elderly next-door neighbour lived in Peru and she and her brothers would only go home for the summer holiday as it took so long to sail back there - then they opened the Panama Canal and they could go for Christmas too! 10 days on the ship each way instead of 18...

And people will always complain about whatever difficulties they have, regardless of whether other people have more of them!

[EvilTwins]

slipshod - that was my point [mischievous] I think it's important that Jabed experiences AIBU to its full effect...

[difficultpickle]

Independent school days tend to be longer. I doubt you will find the number of taught hours per year between an independent day school and a state school to be much different.

Some of us don't have the option of working school hours and local state schools don't offer wraparound care (three schools tried but no one used it so stopped it after one term of trying).

[pianomama]

Also parents wanted time to be with their offspring (unlike now it often seems).

What a silly statement. You might as well start a thread on how the grass was greener in the olden days. Or how you must be the only loving parent on the forum.
A lot of mothers have to work nowdays and have 5-6 weeks holidays a year.
DH and I have been taking separate holidays to cover for as much DC holidays as possible. I guess people moan about longer holidays because it is not very good for their family life/work balance not because they are not keen on spending time with their offspring.

[Blu]

Do you really dislike your children so much that you want rid of them most of the year? Or is it some other reason?

Could you have asked a question about people protesting length of holidays without that really nasty insinuation?

Presumably the 'other reason' is being out of the house earning enough to send them to private schools, or just to keep a roof over their heads.

No parent views school just as childcare - but for a working parent child childcare in holidays is a very real issue, and in no way detracts from the importance they place on the education itself.

Why the need to be so very nasty and make insinuations about parents not as lucky as some?

[Mintyy]

I think its jabed's very unpleasant and goading way of expressing herself that explains the distinct lack of interest in this thread, tbh.

[Blu]

True, I'm not going to bother to look at it any more.
Don't know why I even engaged, really.

[slipshodsibyl]

slipshod - that was my point [mischievous] I think it's important that Jabed experiences AIBU to its full effect...

I know but I think Jabed is mostly misunderstood on here. People often seem to misinterpret his words and sometimes claim he said things that he didn't say. And then bully him in a way I don't like. Our opinions are informed by our experiences but there seems to be little attempt to accept that.