Can I ask the mums who work a full time job advice?

[Toughtips]

Hi, so I currently work part time in the evenings til 9 which I'm not particularly enjoying.

I've got an interview tomorrow for a FT position. If i get it itll be 930-5. Kids arent an issue as I can drop them off and arrange childcare.

It means more money for our family, I can be home in the evenings for tea and I won't have to work Christmas time like I do currently.

I'm just concerned about how I might make it work in the 6 weel holidays.

How do you ladies do it?

A mix of annual leave/ toil days (my husband and I), school holiday program days (pick and choose the most appealing for dd), reciprocal care days with another Mum and a few work from home days. I'm just working this out now as we have 6 weeks summer hols coming up soon (Australia)
Good luck!

How old are your DC? At the moment (8&6) I do a mix of annual leave, agency nanny, family and working from home (am fortunate that I can basically do this) but as they get a bit older, residential camps are becoming a possibility. However, that obviously depends on the child because some are just not going to want to do that. Day camps may also work but where I live they tend to be half day only so not usable as full day childcare.

I have a college student I know who comes to babysit in the holidays for my older children, the younger ones are still in childcare full time (pretty much, I'm not quite full time).

It's not easy, but it works for us.

Holiday club (at local leisure centre), taking time off separately, time off together, and now ds is older, a week at PGL

My DP works shifts so has some time off during the week. We manage school holidays with a mixture of annual leave, shifted off, childminder one or two days a week and the odd grandmother helping out.

Until recently I worked fulltime. I now work 4 days a week. My husband has covered the holidays between my son starting school until Easter. The 6 week holidays will be split between out of school club, DH, Me, My parents. We have accounted for him being there for the full 6 weeks and put £100 a month away to cover.

If you have a partner then you can both take some annual leave to cover. My mum was always happy to help too.

I have a Nanny so not such an issue, but we cover her leave with a mixture of annual leave, grandparents and holiday club.

A mix of taking time off, holiday club, childminder and my parents.

Working these short days means that most holiday clubs can be used. A lot of activity related holiday clubs only cover until 4pm.

Annual leave, holiday clubs/summer camps, working from home.

All of the above!

Annual Leave, holiday clubs, time off in lieu, occasionally friends/grandparents for a couple of days. Buying additional holiday days through work scheme and using Parental Leave to add another week.

As DC get older it is easier to WFH when they are around (impossible when younger). Can sometimes also work 6am-9:30am + 4pm-8pm from home leaving the middle part of the day free.

One possibility is to get an au pair over the summer - there are loads available for just that stint. We did it one year - worked v well.

Yes,not forgetting Parental Leave !

Holiday clubs. DS school offers a full program 8-6 every week except over Christmas.
Reciprocal play dates - although the non-working mums have my two more than I do theirs, as they find it makes their days go quicker too!
I WFH, so flex hours round kids and let them have days at home as they get older and better at letting me crack on.

MIL used to help but she can’t do much any more, so we ‘reserve’ her time for when I have to travel, as she can manage school runs, just not full day’s entertainment.

Grandparents who have offered to cover holidays. DP is self-employed so can work around having time off where needed (not ideal as obviously he doesn't earn anything). I have 'bought' leave from work.
In truth, it would be extremely difficult without grandparents help.

Childminder does full days on the days she'd normally do before/after school.

Grandparents.

Holiday play scheme (costs lots!).

Annual leave.

Unpaid Parental Leave.

We have to use a few combinations:

Annual leave (half days shared with childminder)

Childminder occasionally doing longer days than during term time.

Sharing with other parents in same boat

Taking help from relatives

If you know sensible older teenagers who would like some paid hours...that works for some of my summer days,

What I will say is that 99.99% of the time, a solution can be found. It's not always easy but it is doable. Plus life is changing from term to term and year to year so just plan one half term at a time and it doesn't seem so daunting.