To ask parents of school aged children what hey do in the holidays?

[CherryChasingDotMuncher]

Having a chat with my friends yesterday, we all have kids under 4 (mine are 3.5 and new born). They are SAHMs, I work 3 days but currently on maternity leave. My 3.5yo is in nursery 2 days a week and will be until she goes to school in September. We were pondering what people who work do in half term holidays in terms of childcare. This sounds ridiculous but it's the first time I've thought "oh shit I only get 5 weeks holiday a year, who will look after them when they're off school and I run out of annual leave?!". DH is self employed so it's much harder for him to take holidays.

So can I ask what people do for childcare of small children who have to work in the holidays? I've planned to go back to work the first school day in January 2018 but I'm wondering if I may as well return after February 2018 half term (probably won't have enough holidays by then) save struggling to find child care.

I used a mixture of family and working around dh's shifts last year.
Previously I was self employed as a childminder and this year I've taken a job in a school.
All to get around the very short school day 9-2.30 and extra long school holidays!
Have to say I am loving the idea of the school job tho - even snow days will be covered now.
Is that an option for you? Work from home or apply to schools?
I didn't have any formal qualifications but I researched the curriculum and was well prepared for my interview.

1 very young child- nursery tho not my preference. 2 kids - nanny as made cost more viable. Over 5 - various holiday/ sports camps. Many have wrap around hours so pay extra for 8 am drop 6 pm pick up. I work at home so not an issue. And husband helps out too.

I think by the age of 12 they are quite self-sufficient and can manage on their own.
Our dd is younger and as my dh works ft it seems to fall on me to sort child care at school hols. He takes as much time off as he can in school holiday time but realistically few people get 13 weeks + holidays. I work pt but don't have relatives nearby (mostly dead). I am lucky in that I can take my dd to work with me! (Just brings her reading book/lego/toys etc and entertains herself for a few hours)

I take February half term, October half term, two weeks in August and between Christmas and new year off. I have the odd friday off for a long weekend.

Other than that, since they were 4 they have gone to a holiday/sports camp at Easter and the rest of the summer. I am lucky as I work from home a lot so can drop them there at 10 and pick up at 4.

We also have an amazing childminder who collects from school 4 afternoons a week, and she also has them for the odd day in the holidays.

Mine are 10 and 12

13 weeks of school holiday.
School holiday club runs for 2 weeks of the summer holidays
We are taking a week off together for family holiday
they will go to MILs for a week (luckily she works term time so happy to have them/come to us)
The remaining 9 weeks are split between me and DH. I get 23 days and DH gets about 35 luckily.

Around us the leisure centres do play schemes (but only school hours, although think this year they might be doing wraparound care)
There is a science company that do science camps
Riding stables do pony fun days
There's a sports provider who do holiday clubs

Some private nurseries also do holiday clubs which would probably be handy if you already had a toddler who goes there

Have family living locally but they have never helped us with childcare as too busy helping my sister and DN. Before kids went to school paid for two in childcare. When in school I work PT and took all much leave in school hols plus some TOIL for working extra hours in school hols and took main holidays in school hols also had to pay for holiday clubs.

DH and I both work full time. We have an amazing childminder. She looks after DD before and after school. And cover all the holidays and inset days we can't. She can also cover last minute emergencies. For example DH fell ill in Feb half term so we needed her to cover the days DH was to look after DC too.

There are a lot of holiday play schemes and clubs too.