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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think teachers' holidays...

89 replies

HenriettaPootel · 12/08/2012 11:00

...are not quite all they're cracked up to be?

So, I'm starting to plan holidays for next summer. DH teaches at a private school and breaks up in early July. DS1 is at a state primary school and breaks up on the 24th July. We are planning a week's family holiday right at the start of the holidays, w/c Sat 27 July. The in-laws have also asked us to go for a week with them, to a house in the UK also starting on a Saturday. Now, we can't go Sat 3 August because we'll be travelling home from our family holiday in France. We can't go Sat 10 August because DH needs to be in school for the A level results. We can't go Sat 17 August because DH needs to be in school for the GCSE results. And we can't go Sat 23 August because, although DS is still on holiday, DH goes back to school on the 29th. Oh, and we can't go in summer half term because DH has to accompany a school trip abroad.

Now, before I get completely flamed, I know that it's wonderful to have DH at home for so long, and I'm not ungrateful for that. However, it does seem a bit ridiculous that with a husband who's a teacher, we can't basically take more than one week-long holiday (unless we go in Easter/October, when it will be a bit chilly for a beach holiday in Wales!). I know I'm probably being a bit U, but I do think that when people say 'teachers can't complain about their pay, they get those wonderful long holidays', they don't quite realise how many restrictions there are.

OP posts:

squeakytoy · 12/08/2012 11:01

oh dear, it is such a shame isnt it...

Ecgwynn · 12/08/2012 11:02

...And their holidays are at peak times so more expensive.

MagicHouse · 12/08/2012 11:03

I think those sort of restrictions are unusual. I'm a teacher (primary though) and I have the best part of 6 lovely long weeks off
(ok I will have worked about a solid 2 of those, but in the weeks I choose...... I LOVE the holidays)

captainhastings · 12/08/2012 11:04

You are, quite rightly, going to get flamed.

Coconutty · 12/08/2012 11:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JumpingThroughHoops · 12/08/2012 11:07

I don't know many teachers who actually get all of their 13 weeks holidays. Most are in school, especially through half terms and easter, running extra lessons. Summer is used for planning the following year. Factoring the mythical 5 hour days which in reality are more like 15 hours days - it's a god forsaken job

Weekipper · 12/08/2012 11:07

Unfortunately it is the limitations of your DH's job responsibilities and the external constraints of what you wish to do that is causing the problem. Many other teachers, Primary for example, don't have to go into school during the holidays. Although most teachers I know (including myself) choose to go in and sort classrooms out, make resources, plan etc to ease the burden of the start of the new term and to have a stimulating learning environment set up. However my work plans come 2nd in the holidays as during the term my work usually comes 1st.

theodorakis · 12/08/2012 11:08

First world problem

captainhastings · 12/08/2012 11:09

I go in for results days , standard teachers do not have to , although many choose to . I am going to go in every day next week and have already had two days in, but I don't need to and very few staff do go in over the holidays .

captainhastings · 12/08/2012 11:11

I really do not think that most teachers are in over the holidays. When I was main scale teacher I never set foot in school over the holidays .

mistressploppy · 12/08/2012 11:11

That is a bit pants. For your specific situation, YANBU to have a wee moan

LeeCoakley · 12/08/2012 11:12

Well you don't have to be in residence at your holiday let on a Saturday as long as you pay for it. And any of those weeks DH doesn't have to be in every day, come back early or go late. No biggie as far as I can see.

Marymaryalittlecontrary · 12/08/2012 11:13

Can't you go Sun-Fri instead? So you get back from France on the Sat and go away the next day. Missing out on one day isn't really a big deal. Lots of other people have restrictions on when they can take holidays. It's just life. My husband has 3 weeks off in Sept/Oct but I couldn't get time off then, which is a shame but there's nothing I can do about it. Fortunately I could get a week off in November, and because of the way his shifts work we'll be able to have 3 nights away somewhere. Not the week long holiday I wanted but I just have to make the best of things.

lovebunny · 12/08/2012 11:13

i worked the first week of the holidays at work. i've worked since then part of every day at home. i'll be in next week for a few hours, i'm going to ignore the A level results because they're modules and we don't need them till september but go in for gcse results and then be in every day school is open until term starts.

stressheaderic · 12/08/2012 11:13

I'm a dedicated and hardworking teacher but I don't set foot in the place for the entire 6 weeks. We're having 3 summer holidays, one abroad and two in UK, and it's bloody brilliant. Yabu.

EdithWeston · 12/08/2012 11:15

It's a bit of a bugger, but only the days when DH has to be at school are real constraints of the job, not for example the week you have ruled out because of the return time from your planned week away. You could use that week, if you joined them on the Sunday or Monday instead of looking rigidly at Sat/Sat, or your DH could leave early in either of the results weeks (sorry, don't know which day so not sure how intrusive it would be) so DCs could still have the time with you and their GPs.

hawaiiWave · 12/08/2012 11:19

Yabu. Most people get around five weeks off per year. I think it's human nature to complain about your lot and always want a bit more, if it's so hard to organise your holidays then maybe stay at home, lots of people do this, have some days out instead.

jubilee10 · 12/08/2012 11:24

Ds3 has been in holiday club for 5 weeks this summer (as we can't all have 6 weeks holiday) and I have seen 1 teacher in on 1 day. Others may have popped in and out between me dropping him off and picking him up but have not been in for whole days. There are many things I think teachers could quite fairly complain about - holidays are not one of them.

mumnosGOLDisbest · 12/08/2012 11:27

dont blame you for wanting a bit of a moan but imagine trying to fit it all into 2wks. im a primary teacher and only get the 4 middle wks realistically but still feel lucky (even if they are needed/deserved). dh gets 2 and with birthday parties, family visits etc we never fit everything in but cant really complain.
do what you can and make the most of your time together.

OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos · 12/08/2012 11:29

In your situation, YANBU. And I can't believe anyone thinks you are.

Many of us that work term time are restricted on holidays, which is a pain but is very much outweighed by the fact that we get so much time off. But if you can't even make the most of the time you get off, then that's a real shame, and you have every reason o complain about it.

teacherandguideleader · 12/08/2012 11:32

I think you need to be a bit more flexible. I know results time (in secondary) is difficult but it is just one of those things you have to factor in. I work long hours during term time including evenings and weekends but my holidays are mine. In my 13 weeks off this year, bf and I have only got 1 week together (his work prioritises school holidays for those with children, having a teacher gf who also can't take time off during term time doesn't count - but that's a different story), and it is midweek to midweek so not great. However we just have to accept that that is the way it is and we have had to be flexible.

LaurieFairyCake · 12/08/2012 11:34

You mean you can't fit in an extra holiday - you're already going away for a week at the beginning to France.

You will need to go for a bit less than a week to fit it in.

There is only one day in each subsequent week that a member of your family is busy.

Our family is the same, dh has to go in for both results days and dd starts back earlier than him, and I start back earlier than both of them.

janeswell · 12/08/2012 11:36

Teachers holidays do seem long but like you we have the same restrictions. Have to be around for both sets of results days and several days after A levels for help with students going through clearing etc. After GCSE results we then start interviewing for the 6th Form which takes a full week.

Halfterms are way to busy to ever get away (for the whole week) with either coursework marking or prep work, UCAS references etc. Even May halfterm we put on revision classes for our A2 students.

I am not whinging just stating how it is for some of us. The bit I do miss about holidays is the inflexibility - I was given Wimbledon tickets as a present but there is no way in hell you can ever get a day off in term time even for all the work we do in the holidays or swop a day off for a day more suitable.

teacherlikesapples · 12/08/2012 11:38

Like any job it has it's pros and cons. So you are experiencing is definitely a first world problem!

I usually spent one third of my holidays sleeping & catching up on things I was to knackered to get to during term time. 1 third of the time somewhere quiet & child free (Since travelling at peak time it is mega expensive- so on a teacher's wage you are a bit restricted) and the other third doing very little and or a bit of work related stuff.

During the 6 weeks, I find it is not until the 3rd week that I can really "switch off". Stop worrying about this child or that parent, or something about next term...
Maybe a desk job would be better.

bisjolympics · 12/08/2012 11:42

Why don't you move your ds to your dh's school if they have a prep section. If they don't then you can move him when he reaches secondary school age. That way you can take advantage of the early start for summer hols. Most private schools offer huge reductions for teacher's children. Ours gives a 90% reduction.

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