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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder how people manage the school holidays

150 replies

Kafri · 15/08/2015 22:34

as in, childcare wise.

DS is still in nursery but I quite often wonder how the heck I'll cover the school holidays once he gets to school.

Obviously dh and I can try to book holidays from work to cover as many as possible but what do you all do for the weeks you can't book as leave etc.

I know IABU to worry about this right now but I can't seem to help it. GrinGrin

OP posts:
LindyHemming · 15/08/2015 22:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Donge13 · 15/08/2015 22:37

I got a crap paid term time job

SnapesCapes · 15/08/2015 22:38

I switched from working in finance to being a TA when I had DS2 because the hours in my previous job just weren't compatible. DH works away often so one of us has to be here to make it work, and since his salary was much higher it made sense that I took the hit and retrained because I couldn't not work, it would have sent me mad. Now that the DCs are 9 and 4 I love it, summer breaks are lovely, and I enjoy work so much more than I did before.

I have no idea how full-time working friends manage; we tend to help a fair few out over the summer but without childminders, nurseries and Grandparents they'd all be scuppered.

lostinindia · 15/08/2015 22:39

It's tight but we spread the holidays between us and only manage a week off as a family. I also bought a weeks leave this year so that I could have more time off with them during the summer.

We also have the option of friends helping out if needs be and we return the favour by looking after their children for a couple of days at some point during the year.

No family in the area to help and clubs don't appeal at this moment in time.

Original poster
Kafri · 15/08/2015 22:40

Thanks...
No grandparents around, my brother is but he has to be on call so I can't really rely on him
Do employers let you just take unpaid leave. My dh employer was awful about letting him have any time off that wasn't booked holiday (fingers crossed his new one is better!!)

Holiday clubs - that's a possibility, I'll have to look into anything local.

OP posts:
JoyceDivision · 15/08/2015 22:43

here is our holiday strategy:

i work 3 days pt:

dsil covers a day

my parents cover a day

My friends all work and we try and offer each other a day so someone somewhere cabnhave a dc, but we then repay the favour back on a diffw eekday!

Days not working about a month before summer hols text peolp and start booking meet up days, then go somewhere wehere tickets act as an annual pass and go to same place CONSTANTLY over summer hols

You can do it!

Original poster
Kafri · 15/08/2015 22:45

It just strikes me that more and more jobs are expanding their business hours therefore making employees contracts wider time frame to cover the increased business hours making it more difficult to find a job around school.

I'm not for one second saying schools should open at weekends or through holidays!! Please don't pounce on me teachers and TAs (I know how hard you all work!!!) literally just wondering how the hell Im going to cover the holidays!!

OP posts:
Vatersay · 15/08/2015 22:47

Basically, I write several large cheques.

We are lucky that our area is well covered with holiday clubs of different types. (None of which of was aware of before they were school age) they do lots of sport, some drama, music and art.

We also take two weeks of family holiday.

PrimalLass · 15/08/2015 22:48

I'm freelance, but had most of the holidays off this year as I just don't want to can't work when the kids are about.

TheReason · 15/08/2015 22:49

DS goes to a summer camp at the same place where he attends after school.

They do loads of activities and when I come to collect him he's often disappointed I've arrived to collect him as he's having so much fun. So I'm happy he's there even for long days because he's happy

The only problem is it's expensive - about 1/3 of my days wages. I have another younger child in nursery so not really making much of a profit at work.

Vatersay · 15/08/2015 22:49

Kafri ask other parents with older children what they go to. Check out websites for your local drama groups, churches, sorts centres, tennis clubs etc you'll find all sorts of things you weren't aware of.

madwomanbackintheattic · 15/08/2015 22:51

Grandma gets on a plane and stays for the duration, normally. Except this year we put the kids on a plane to grandma instead.

We will of course be working overtime to pay for it... Grin

Muddlewitch · 15/08/2015 22:51

Holiday club but it is very expensive especially if you have more than one child, I have to start putting money aside once Christmas is over with.

DragonsCanHop · 15/08/2015 22:51

We are really struggling. No grandparents or family, holiday club is £30 each so we do that twice a week and then take holiday, eldest two should be able to stay at home together for 5 hours but that isn't working for us yet.

Now relying on friends and workig from home, my employer is fantastic at giving me some slack but it is still very stressful.

cruikshank · 15/08/2015 22:52

Combination of childminder, holiday clubs and thankfully willing grandparents. It's a pisser that childcare costs don't stop once they get to school, plus it's a major arseache to organise. 13 weeks! 13 fucking weeks!

KenDoddsDadsDog · 15/08/2015 22:54

Childminder , the nursery she went to has holiday club and then a holiday away . It's ££££

ghostyslovesheep · 15/08/2015 22:55

week 1 - holiday club/CM
2 - away at my mums

  1. Holiday Club/CM
  2. Away with their dad
  3. Holiday club/CM
  4. Away with me
  5. at my mums
  6. I am on leave (they don't go back until Weds 8th!)

cost me £400 in childcare plus money to my mum around £200 (to cover treats etc and to say thanks!)

noisytoys · 15/08/2015 22:57

Grandparents travel up and collect the children, take them away for 4 weeks and I take 2 weeks annual leave. During shorter hols it's a mix of grandparents and annual leave. I work in a place with a good flexi leave policy so use flexi to cover teacher training days.

Original poster
Kafri · 15/08/2015 23:00

It really is mind boggling. I'm a worrier anyway - I like to have at least a vague plan in place

Clubs sound expensive (not that far off the price of DS current nursery) :-S

I think we'll have to arrange some sort of friends childminding circle when it comes to it

I just really hope that dh new employer is better than his last as everything has fallen to me since DS came along cos dh employer is so inflexible. It's worked out ok so far as I went back to uni after Mat leave so if DS was poorly I just missed lectures but I can't imagine any employer of mine would take too kindly to me always being the one to have time off cos dh employer won't let him (rambling now)

OP posts:
DinosaursRoar · 15/08/2015 23:02

OK, you are used to paying for nursery, so this should be ok for you! I became a SAHM after having DC2 so haven't done school childcare, but this is what the working mums in DC1's class have done - most schools will do holiday clubs, even if they aren't run by the school, they'll rent the premises. Look when they are on before you book your holidays, round here all the clubs are shut the last 2 weeks of August, so that's when all the families with 2 working parents are away.

At 5+ you can do a 'working from home' day and they entertain themselves a lot, or at least for a morning/afternoon if you can get them in a half day sport camp lesson type thing.

Get your holiday bookings in ASAP so you can use your holiday leave effectively, and childcare swaps with other working parents does work well.

If you use a childminder rather than the before/afterschool club, you can book them for whole days in the holidays, check if this is something they'll provide before you book with them. This will feel expensive but remind yourself of the amounts you used to transfer to nursery and it'll feel better!

WeAllHaveWings · 15/08/2015 23:03

first couple of years were tough as we had no grandparents so used mainly summer clubs, football clubs, older nieces on holiday from college and unpaid leave (dh is self employed).

After a couple of years and they had made some closer school friends we asked their parents if they would like help each other out by reciprocating childcare, worked out fantastically for us as his friends are all only children too and they all had friends to play with during the holidays.

LindyHemming · 15/08/2015 23:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Kafri · 15/08/2015 23:11

Thanks folks, it's nice to know that there are options even though it's a challenge sometimes.
I so wish my mum was still around to help out - she'd have had DS in a heartbeat! I would never have expected her to cover all 13 weeks but she would certainly have helped out.

OP posts:
KenDoddsDadsDog · 15/08/2015 23:13

I also buy extra days holidays from my employer so can cover a bit more and still take the odd day off

Twowrongsdontmakearight · 15/08/2015 23:17

Another that became a TA while DC at school so I could have school holidays. And it's a great job too!

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