To think this is closer to the truth about school holidays than we like to admit...

[Ubik1]

The Daily Mash kids looking forward to a carefree summer being a massive burden

I work ft and already my three have spent a week at 'Mrs Hannigan's cut-price boot camp.'

I'm lucky to have some limited family help and dp
Is self employed so flexible- but Swallows and Amazons it ain't.

What do other people do for childcare for six weeks?

Thanks sirchenjin !I work 30 hours a week so I saved up hours and days and went up for 4 day stretches - and ex was helpful too and the children were great so it got done but was very knackering .I'd get phone calls at work from itu,palliative care, social worker, the ward, physios ,workmen putting in hand rails - then it was vicars, funeral directors etc

I'm glad I was there for them but by God it was hard!

Looking back I don't know how I got through but I did and on my week away am pissing off to a warm country

I will pack loads of books and my suncream

And thanks ivegotthree!

SirChenjin, a bit of benign neglect does them the world of good!

knackered - you absolutely deserve to piss off for a week! Have a lovely time

Benign neglect is OK, isn't it?

The other day a colleague announced [drumroll] that she only now had three days of childcare to find.
We virtually high-fived.

Does anyone's offspring experience idyllic summer holidays; running wild, building plucky a character and solving mysteries?

I'm very lucky in that DM is a teacher and is happy to look after the DC every school holiday. This summer I've taken 2 weeks of annual leave to spend with them and their dad is also taking them away for a week.

And drinking lashings of ginger beer?

Try having nine weeks.

By week nine, mine would be in the park, smoking fags and drinking Buckie.

I work term time in a stressful job i hate that doesnt pay enough purely for the holidays so i dont have this issue. I live for the holidays.

Mine have nothing like the summers of the Famous Five or Swallows and Amazons - although to be fair I'm not sure that I would be happy letting my pre teens sail to Kirrin Island unsupervised.

Another week to go. We have been stockpiling leave and flexi.

Then both kids and DP are all away at a Scout and Guide camp while I work.

Next two weeks my DP and GPs taking it in turns while I work.

Then DP taking them to her parents for a week while I work.

Week after I get the kids while DP works.

Last week we are all off to -feed the midges- have a family week in Scotland.

School holidays are the only times that I'm glad OH works shifts. I work 3 days a week and he works 4 on / 4 off so between us we don't have masses of childcare to cover. We're on holiday for 2 weeks and then we've sorted the rest with my working days swapped over, grandparents helping and swaps with friends.

looking back, my 2 have had great school holidays, loads of lazing about and spending time with their pals or just doing what they want

but my career is f**d as I work a job that allows this, I had to give up a job I loved due to no available childcare and no family support at all

swings and roundabouts folks

By week nine,I would be in the park, smoking fags and drinking Buckie.

What do other people do for childcare for six weeks?

I'm a SAHM. I don't need childcare.

I love the school holidays :)

Me too ssd. Love my kids blah blah blah, but not 9 weeks of them

It's 8 weeks summer holidays here.

I use the same childminder I use during term time except I pay her more during the summer.

I'll have two weeks holidays during that time and DH will have a different week off also.

I had to give up work when DD started school as she has severe disabilities and childcare was either specialist holiday club which only ran from 9.30 - 3.30 2 days a week and involved a 36 mile round trip twice a day to get her there and back, or employ a nanny (if you could find one) to cover the holidays and the cost was prohibitive.

When my DCs were younger they were lucky enough to be taken on lots of days out because I was at home with them. My own DM was also a SAHM but I remember spending the holidays out at local parks with friends taking part in organised games put on via a Council playleader (free of charge and with no registration forms to be flled in). My DF also used to come home for lunch and would often drop us at the open air swimming pool on his way back to work where we would spend the afternoon unsupervised (except by pool lifeguards). I would have the occasional day out at the beach either with DM or with friend's family and we would have a week's holiday in August in a mobile caravan in a field somewhere in Anglesey usually in the rain. From the age of 13, we worked in seasonal jobs so no time to get bored.

How times have changed.

2 weeks family holiday
1 week sports camp
The rest covered by family (I only work part time so not so bad to cover)

how do people manage with these camps when the kids are different ages?

also round here they are only running 10-3, how can anyone work a days shift around that?

knackered I'm very sorry to hear about your mum and sister

I've often wondered that too ssd

10 - 3 is no use to me. It seems to be mostly SAHMs who sign their kids up for these camps.

We have six weeks off

GPs week one
Family holiday weeks 2 and 3
GPs week 4
Holiday club week 5 (£135!)
Family holiday week 6

I am self employed, plus work evenings and weekends out of the house so I am able to have the kids during the week at home. I have planned about four outings for each week, a camping weekend that I will take off work.

The outings are either free or a token amount due to being run through home ed groups at a massive discount. I only home ed one child but the others are welcome along during the holidays. They are spending a considerable amount of time out in forests and woods, pond dipping, building dens, swimming, riding and generally running around being feral wild children!

I can't wait to throw off the shackles of the school run!