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Original poster

Work full time - DC in summer hols??

85 replies

user1484167681 · 25/02/2023 08:32

If you work full time, what do you do with your children in the summer holidays? We have 8.5 weeks to fill this year (DC1 started reception in Sept 22) and I’m slightly aghast tbh…

OP posts:
89ghud · 25/02/2023 09:50

Crikey 8 weeks is a challenge, why so long? It's usually 1 week local grandparent, 2 weeks sent away to other grandparents (lovely break for DH and I then too!), then 3 weeks at home with DH and I taking a mixture of leave so we overlap a bit for family days but not all of them. Thankfully rarely needed to use holiday clubs but they would be the backup.

Ibouncetothebeat · 25/02/2023 09:55

Check out clubs that are free for children on free school meals. Even if your child is not on free school meals the places are much cheaper like £20 a day.

Teatime55 · 25/02/2023 09:58

DH and I took 2 weeks each but only a week together in the middle. So 3 weeks covered.
Some weeks we did clubs but like PP said, stupid short days so that’s another issue. Some days at the childminder (which she didn’t like).
I also did parent swops and used flexi time to make up extra days.
I have friends who would take unpaid leave as they just couldn’t make it work.

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3WildOnes · 25/02/2023 09:59

A mix of family, holiday clubs, annual leave and then I buy extra annual leave.
I also have 8.5 weeks to cover
The first week they will do a course at the local sailing club
Second week we are in Cornwall
Then tennis camp for three day and home with us for 2 days
Another camp for a week
Two week holiday
Camp for a week
Couple of day tennis and then a couple of days off with us.

converseandjeans · 25/02/2023 10:05

I'm surprised that you hadn't factored this in as surely you knew about school holidays?

Most people

  • use grandparents
  • split annual leave
  • use holiday clubs

My childminder used to work all summer. I would say it's more like being at home with a childminder compared to being out all day at a holiday sports club.

I don't think both parents working full time is easy with small children unless you have family support nearby, or can afford a nanny.

Do you have space for an au pair?

Can either of you go part time?

BannMan · 25/02/2023 10:15

We took 3 weeks leave each, 2 overlapping for family holiday then 1 each for childcare. That left 3 weeks where we used holiday clubs (or childminder when very young)

Bobbybobbins · 25/02/2023 10:20

Summer holiday childcare is a nightmare. This is my main reason to stay teaching despite being fed up with it - we have two disabled children and no family support so could not manage otherwise.

FeinCuroxiVooz · 25/02/2023 10:23

A combination. obviously 1 week is family holiday, and DH & I each took a different week to do solo childcare taking care of 2 of the other weeks, then mostly kids activity clubs or palming off on relatives/godparents for the rest. I do remember the first summer at the end of reception was tricky because DC can be too young for many of the kids club things - I remember we were able to use a childminder for a couple of weeks that summer, but it was the mum of one of the kids at DCs school so as far as DC concerned it was just "going round to Eddie's house to play"

MichaelFabricantWig · 25/02/2023 10:25

That’s really long, is it a private school?

I only worked 4 days when mine were younger, my husband would have a couple of days off a week as he works weekends, my parents were retired by the time mine were in school so they had them the other days, we were lucky.

the after school club here ran all day holiday camps from 8 - 6 for all but 2 weeks of the school hols so that would have been my other option and then taken my own holidays when they were shut

if you can afford it OP, unpaid parental leave maybe an option for a few weeks?

feelingrubbish2023 · 25/02/2023 10:26

Are the dc at private school? At my dcs primary they used to run holidays clubs for a couple of weeks at Easter and summer to bring them into line with state school holidays. Was quite reasonably priced, kids didn't mind them as usual teachers but doing fun stuff art/tennis/swimming etc.

Thethingswedoforlove · 25/02/2023 10:30

I took parental leave for four weeks each summer, combined with two weeks’ annual leave. The remainder (which wasn’t much as a state school) was covered by dh or grandparents or swaps with friends or holiday clubs.

JamMakingWannaBe · 25/02/2023 10:36

Check what weeks the holiday clubs run as where I am it's not for the whole 6 weeks.

As everyone else, it's a combination of holiday clubs and annual leave.

Swannning · 25/02/2023 10:44

I work in a school and I know a lot of the support staff (who don't have children) offer school holiday nannying - that might be worth investigating?

Beezknees · 25/02/2023 10:50

Holiday clubs and favours from family members.

hopeishere · 25/02/2023 10:55

Same as above - annual leave, holidays, clubs. One year I was able to afford unpaid leave which was great.

Believe me it's even harder with a child with special needs there is ZERO provision for them.

TheChosenTwo · 25/02/2023 10:57

We will have 6 weeks and my youngest is now 11.
I WFH 2-3 days a week so on those days he will either go to the park with a friend for a bit and they’ll come back here, or him and his older sisters might go out for the day or for lunch or something. Dh will take him and any other dc out and about for the odd day as and when. On my days I’m in the office ds will either stay home with his older sisters, go to holiday club at the school, spend a day with MIL.
The last 2 weeks of the holidays we are all going on a family holiday so it’s really only 4 weeks (only 10 of those days I will be in the office and need something more structured) plus I will also take a couple of my office days off so I can spend a bit of time at home with them. It’s a juggling act but I’m lucky to have a family nearby, some of whom are teachers and we are all very close so they will also offer the odd day when they’re not away to come and take my kids out as I did with them when I was a SAHM for years. Shared childcare worked so well for us and the dc adore their aunties and uncles and cousins. Very grateful tbh.

MintJulia · 25/02/2023 11:01

A combination of annual leave and the local council holiday club.

I tried Supercamps but DS said it was like being in the army (😃) he didn't want to play sport all day, and it was ££££ anyway.

The council holiday club was much less trendy but it was on a senior school site so they were allowed to take their bikes and cycle round the tennis courts, picnic under the trees on fine days, and if he just wanted to read his book or draw, they didn't mind.

Book as early as you can.

89ghud · 25/02/2023 11:05

Yes the problem with a lot of our local holiday clubs is they're ran by leisure centres and very sports focussed, the ages range from 4-12 so it can be pretty exhausting for the younger ones! It's worth looking at the local heritage sites near you like museums and cathedrals, many have diversified their portfolios to offer holiday clubs, although they do sometimes have an older age limit. For a reception aged child a nursery might be worth looking at, ours did holiday clubs in school holidays.

YellowDaffodillie · 25/02/2023 11:06

I won't be able to work f/t until DC finish school. Here in Ireland, DC break up at the end of May and return in September, so we have around 12/13 weeks of summer to accommodate.

There are no grandparents on either side so it's just DH and myself. As we are rural, there are also no suitable summer camps as DC hates all sports. 🤷🏻‍♀️

whoruntheworldgirls · 25/02/2023 11:09

Holiday club/go on holiday.

Original poster
user1484167681 · 25/02/2023 11:10

Yes, private school which is why the break is so long. Good to know we’re not alone in this though! Will make a spreadsheet and start planning…

OP posts:
polkadotpolkadots · 25/02/2023 11:14

Dd is 9 and I've booked her into a weeks summer school with her musical theatre class - got an early bird rate of £110 for the week from 8.30-5.30.

Then her music school does a summer school for 2 weeks too which I'll book her in to.

Probably a week at her grandparents if possible and I'll take some holiday and maybe a weeks unpaid parental leave too.

Snoken · 25/02/2023 11:16

Girasoli · 25/02/2023 09:22

I took a 3 weeks off, flew with them to Sweden and they’d spend a week on their own with my parents, then holiday clubs.

What age did you start doing this? We are thinking of doing this for the first time this year with DS1 (will be 7) - my parents and DS1 will spend 3 weeks in Italy visiting everyone and me, DH, and DS2 will join them for the last 2.

They were young, like 3 and 5 maybe. I would go with them for let's say a week, leave them there on their own for a week while I go back and work, and then I'd join them again for 2 weeks. So they got 4 weeks all together with my family. When they were a bit older, 8 and 10, they would usually fly one way on their own, and then I'd join them.

DancingDaughter50 · 25/02/2023 11:16

We didn't have this issue however dh used to also only take a few days off a week to help us all out eg every Wednesday or Thursday and Friday. That was a really good way to stretch out his annual leave and break up the week for dd so it wasn't solid holiday club, early mornings etc

Then one or two days holiday club on the fun days.

BannMan · 25/02/2023 11:16

Crikey @YellowDaffodillie why such long holidays? There's research to show primary children lose ground educationally over long breaks.

I know in Southern Europe they have 3 months off as it is too hot but surely not in Ireland! Most Northern European countries have 2 months maximum.
Is it historical from when children were needed to work on farms?