For anyone who feels that the six week summer holiday is too long…

[Forgottenmyphone]

consider yourself lucky and thank your lucky stars you don’t live in Italy!

No, pay for your own DC.

Yes, but they have two weeks for May half term.

mist if mine are at private schools and have 9 weeks which is perfect.

10 weeks here in the USA. I'm dreading it & it's only day 2 lol

I've always thought 6 weeks holidays is such a swizz compared to other countries.

@Psychoticbreak do you mean for children?In England (not sure what exactly the other 3 countries get) the government funds free schools and education from ages 3 - 19.
They help with childcare costs in through various schemes for babies/pre schoolers.
They fund various schemes for under 5s like Stay and Play centres.
They fund free school meals.
The NHS is funded by people's National Insurance but I assume the government also funds it so we have child development assessments and medical care from birth.

It's showing 9 for Ireland but as another poster pointed out secondary schools have approx 13 weeks off in the summer

I worked full time and had 3 under tens (so not easy) but can remember how amazing SIX WEEKS holiday was . I would never want that to be anything less for todays children. It's a time of unequaled freedom .

@Ereyraa should I pay for education too?

And still you want more? Why are parents always so reluctant to pay for their children.

@DaniMontyRae no I don't want "more".
I have never needed childcare anyway as I am a SAHM and my daughter would hate it anyway. But I just don't understand why it's perfectly fine for the government to fund schools (where half of what is taught is non academic stuff that's mostly time filler) but they can't fund what would essentially be non compulsory, non academic days at school.
Because that's what a "summer camp" type thing should be.

what do they do in that time though? It’s such a long time without the structure and routine of school. We don’t have a lot of leave left for summer this year so mine will be in camps a lot of the time. If given the choice of school or an extra month of camps I’m sure they’d rather be back in school with their friends.

Yeah. My sons school finishes on 24 May, this year he has JC exams so that brings us to mid June but last Summer he had 14 weeks off. For most teenagers with working parents this it to facilitate teenagers spending an additional 5 hours a day online watching brain washing possibly dangerous content. Yet getting a job isn't allowed in order to protect our young. Something seriously messed up there.

@Bunnycat101 if summer camp schemes took place at the local school - your children could be with their friends.

We had 13 weeks growing up in spain but it was when childhood was much more free range and we basically spent all day with our friends in the pool whist our parents worked. With kids in the Uk system I did at first feel that 6 weeks was too little but I am now used to it. Plus able to work from anywhere and not do too many hours. The main thing I wouldn’t like about a longer holiday would be shorter holidays at other times of year.

You mean the DC who will be footing your medical bills?

Haha you started already, we still have 3 more weeks of school in Chicago.

Hang in there, you can do it lol. Every year I start planning for summer in February.

@Phantasmagorically
I've always thought 6 weeks holidays is such a swizz compared to other countries

Well that's a first on Mumsnet - usually it's people complaining about that summer hols.

I'm surprised that people aren't seemingly aware of it when they decide to have children. It's been like if as long as I. can remember 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’m in Scotland and summer holidays here are normally between 7-8 weeks.

I'm gutted the government are looking into shortening the summer holidays.

As a teacher, it might be the final nail in my teaching coffin. It's just about the only perk left (I fully anticipate further cuts to my pension before anyone starts).

As a mother, it's the one time I have enough energy and time to really pour into my own children.

@Moro93 I feel robbed! I suppose things like how long half term in October/Feb week are come into play. I know the dc are supposed to do something like 190 days a year no matter where they are.

I'd prefer it if dd had longer in the summer. I think the freedom the longer holiday brings to be themselves and use their imaginations etc is really important. I'd go for 8 weeks minimum.

Scottish primaries (state) have 6 weeks off, there is usually then two insets so it will seem like an extra half week! Once every 7 years there is a 7 week holiday, but that's the exception.

I’m in Scotland, our summer holidays have consistently been 7 weeks for the past 8 years my kids have been in primary school, certainly not the exception in my local authority.

Presumably funded summer camps and longer holidays would mean teachers have to have a pay cut or the government is paying twice.

10 weeks here in Canada and it's too long, but 6 is possibly too short. I think 8 would be the sweet spot.

Spain here...breaks up 20th June - 5th September. Personally love the long summers. No half term so it's been a long summer term as Easter was so early.