to ask if you think your children need so much holiday

[manicinsomniac]

I'm coming at this as a teacher who loves every second of my holidays by the way so definitely not teacher bashing. It's a major perk of my job and I'd be devastated to lose it.

BUT

We always say the holidays are for the children, not the teachers and the children really need it because they're exhausted.

Do you think that's true?

We have extended days and Saturday school and my children were knackered for the first few days and had lots of down time. But now, a week and a half into our (crazily long 7.5 week holiday!) they're fully refreshed and would happily go back tomorrow if asked.

They really do not need 13+ weeks of down time a year. All their extra curriculars are term time only so I'm racing them about to open dance classes, free summer events, into London, sending them out to play for hours to get rid of energy. They're certainly not acting like poor, exhausted little beings. In a week or so they're even going to have to start doing some holiday work with me, I think.

We love having the holidays because we tend to go travelling (off to America for all of August this year) so I'm certainly not saying I want them gone.

Just questioning whether, actually, 2 weeks off for each holiday plus half terms (so 9 weeks holiday in total) would be perfectly sufficient and make life easier for a lot of people?

My DC have always had 8 weeks off for Summer (private school) and this is looooooong. The six week mark always seemed about right.

That said, we made the most of them, had a fair bit of dosh to spend and a parent or grandparent permanently available.

Ages ago I read some research that shows that after the summer holidays the majority of DC regress educationally, but the minority of already advantaged DC actually improve. Plus ca change.

I think it would be unfair to deprive other parents and children of the joy and much needed break from routine of a long summer holiday just so that working parents have childcare. Frankly I'd rather see shorter days and longer holidays. If people need childcare then sort it yourself, we make our own choices and reap the benefits thereof. For me that means no salary but the pleasure of my children and a lot of flexibility. We are happy why should that change to suit the childcare arrangements of others?

I agree with other posters who say that the long holidays are good for children. It does them good to get a bit bored and make their own entertainment.
Having said that, we are on holiday for 3 of the weeks and off to a festival for almost another week, so that only leaves 2 weeks for them to spend at home playing out with friends.

Mine do. I remember the bliss of having 6 weeks stretching ahead of me as a child and want that for them. It isn't just physical exhaustion, it is them having time to reconnect with the family, establish themselves etc without peer pressure yadda yadda.

Akifden I agree with you. I know childcare is a nightmare but school holidays or the length of the school day should absolutely not be changed to accommodate this. I really would resent my children having to do a longer school day just so others could have free childcare.

Mine are sleeping so much more. Poor things must have been exhausted all year or maybe that's just me

CCFM I can only imagine losing more money in tax to accommodate it which as a single income family would be really unhelpful. Also can you imagine the pressure over attendance records?

Yabu, my kids love the holidays and so do I. This last week and a bit till they broke up on Tuesday were torturous, we were so ready for the summer break.

It's not just about going on holiday and doing activities, it's about chilling, not having to worry about getting out the house on time or homework etc. It's downtime and yes I am lucky to stay at home, but we have and still do make sacrifices to do that and I don't want my kids at school just because other parents want more childcare!

My dh changed jobs last month, he used to do crazy shifts and we hardly saw him over the summer, he now still does shifts but term time only. My kids need that time with their dad, we need it as a family and yes we are lucky, but again it was about sacrificing sone stuff and he worked his arse off to get his job. Sorry but we lobe the holidays, kids aren't young for long.

My kids are exhausted. We also have limped through the last two weeks of this term

We need 2 week half terms and 3 week Christmas three weeks in the summer would be fine.

Long terms are an absolute killer.

No, I don't think he does at this age (reception). They recharge their batteries quickly while they're young.

It's as they get older and the stresses of exams and a neverending flow of homework take over, that they need this time. It wasn't long enough for me in my teens.

I really love the holidays and plot and plan years ahead what I am going to organise for my DC. The educational/development opportunities afforded by day or residential summer camps in lots of countries have been invaluable to them.

I think one thing that's come through from this thread is that it's the older children who really need the long holiday. A 6yo can maybe be properly re-charged in 3 weeks, but my 12yo has been dead on his feet for at least 3 weeks and can still, almost a week into the holiday barely speak with tiredness. He got up at 11:30 yesterday and was back in bed before 8pm.

I wish there was a way to let kids spend the holidays being kids - in a Swallows and Amazons kind of way. Unfortunately because we need childcare, they often end up with their days being just as structured as if they were at school.

Well I have children staying this week and it is lovely to see how they are relaxing, moving from Minecraft obsessives to spending an hour finding a stone on the beach with a hole that goes through it. 50p for an hour's peaceful reading of the paper and a cup of tea, bargain.

My happiest memories of my own DC growing up were from the summer, sometimes we all need time to just stand and stare.

I do think it ought to be more spread out, maybe have a month off and another week or so at Christmas to compensate. I always find that my dc's are still knackered when they go back to school in early January, another week to wind down from everything that goes on at Christmas would do them the world of good. As a family with two parents who work 8-5, Mon - Fri, organising childcare during the long holidays can be a pita but I do think a good long break at some point in the year is a good thing, as long as they have contact with their friends. I was a boarding school child and had very little interaction with children other than my siblings during some holidays, and would get quite lonely and fed up.

Its 12 weeks in rep of Ireland too (secondary schools) and 8/9weeks for primary schools. Also primary school has a tad shorter day. And less breaks throughout the year.

I am extremely lucky to live in a city where there are lots of summer holiday activities planned and we actually never go away during the summer holidays because DD doesn't want to miss anything.

Although, I'm still running around like a blue arsed fly, DD gets to experience new activities (mostly outdoors) and hang out with children from all over the city.

DD absolutely loves school but I know the change of pace and scenery that the summer holidays bring, is very welcome and compliments term time nicely.

I completely agree OP.

My DCs enjoy their holidays to a point - but there definitely comes a point around the 4 week mark where they are refreshed (if that's the right word - the only time they've been truly exhausted is at the Nat 5/Higher/Advanced Higher stage) and ready to get back to school.

American friends, how do you reconcile the 12 week summer holidays with the seriously low amount of annual leave workers are entitled to?

slightly off topic but as one half of a couple that is mulling over having kids at some point... what do you do with them for 13 weeks?

DP and I both get 6 weeks holiday a year which is fairly standard so if you both work, what do you do with them for the 7 weeks they're on holiday and you're not? generous family members and/or paid childcare? I remember going on a council organised 'playscheme' when I was a child where you spent weeks doing crafts and sport etc. Are they still a thing?

I think they definitely need it. I loved it as a child- all that time stretching ahead with nothing to do. If it is shorter you can see the end and it isn't the same. I loved it as a parent too- a lovely time without timetables and structures.

I feel a bit chillied by the idea of such regularly terms, short breaks and no big summer holiday. Most of our children look forward to it for a reason:)

Calculators, we manage by a combination of me only working part time now, my DH (self employed) working flexibly over the summer (less during the day, more in the evenings) and grandparents helping out.

I feel v sorry for my colleagues who both work full time, 9-5 jobs. Neither they nor their kids really get the benefit of the summer holidays. We have less money but more time and that's the way I like it.

I don't think my holiday childcare issues have to be anyone else's problem. We manage OK.

It's more the fact that some children's summer holidays aren't the lazy, hazy days of mooching about with mates and enjoying getting bored that are described on this thread. They're spent at the homes of aged grandparents or getting up early to be taken to holiday clubs, so having to be in bed early, listening to other kids playing outside until dark.

I will use any days I can take off work to arrange for DS to see his school friends, because he misses them and apart from at holiday club won't have a chance to play with other children.

That is more the reality of many WOHPs' children's summer holidays so no, I think the 7 weeks DS has this year is too long and I'm mighty glad they're not any longer.

Calculator - well one thing is for you and your dp not to have all of the 6 weeks off together - so you stagger time off and have fewer weeks to cover.