Kids in holiday clubs when you’re not working...

[autumnnightsaredrawingin]

It’s the school holidays. You are not at work (either a SAHP or work term time only).

Person A thinks putting your children into holidays activity camps for any amount of time is not ok, because you don’t need to. That if you’re off work or don’t work they should be with you.

Person B thinks if the kids are happy to go, and you can afford it, it’s absolutely fine.

Person C thinks if you are a SAHP of school age NT children it’s not ok as you have loads of time off in term time. But if you work term time, it’s ok because come the holidays you probably need a couple of days off too.

Thoughts?!

Its absolutely fine for DC to go to clubs over the holidays if that works for the families in question. I didn't have to go to holiday clubs as a youngster but I absolutely adored our local playscheme and looked forward to going every year. I would have been sad to miss out.

MichonnesBBF Camp and holiday activities are pretty much one and the same in terms of timings here. We have summer camp (with a residential option) or you can do holiday activities from 9-3 (you can extend to 5pm)

This is normal school hours give or take half an hour, and can be longer. So the idea that it isn't an entire day is not correct. It is. It is tiring. The dc can't switch off or relax all day.

We also have workshops here that tend to offer two or three hour slots of forest school (my dd loves that particular one) or cookery or whatever too.

Children can sign up for whatever they want to do, and are more likely to be enthused if friends are going. I am simply stating in my experience my friends children hate the daily camp week in and week out. The more generalised and longer they are, the worse they tend to be. My dc went to one at Planet Kids and it was pretty feral to say the least. You have minimum wage kids working for pin money, and they are not invested in the dc at all, and some can be quite rude. We have had a few random experiences over the years, my dc would always choose to be at home with me given the choice.

We have done great tennis activities, lacrosse, fun baking workshops etc, and we have tried the odd longer summer camp. I felt very guilty. It was a lovely warm summers day and they were inside the whole day.

Not everyone has the choice as they have to work, and I know they must work very well for some families in other circumstances. However I would not be rushing to use them if I was a SAHP. We do fun stuff at home, and go out for days, picnics, have friends over. We don't need them. It is definitely not my kids' idea of fun, but others are different sure.

@Springwalk

We don't need them. It is definitely not my kids' idea of fun.

That there is why your way works for your family.
It really is different for others.

I am a SAHM, and DD used to do two weeks of clubs during the summer, at her choice. One was in her chosen sport, one was a multi sport type thing, both of which she enjoyed and, at least with the multi sport one, I tried to book her in for the same week that her school friends went. She enjoyed it, I could afford it, so no issue.

Goodness. I’m a SAHM and out of this 3.5 week Easter holiday my DC will do 4.5 days in total in holiday clubs. (By “day” I mean 9-3). The rest of the time they are with me. The clubs involve complicated art projects, dance, trying out new sports activities and running around in a big hall with lots of other kids. All things I cannot realistically do myself and even if I did it would be much less fun. My kids love them. They have plenty of downtime at other times.

I cannot begin to see why anyone would have a problem with this. Except jealousy maybe if they can’t afford it or have the kind of kids who won’t be dropped off at new places. (The latter may be strongly linked to having the kind of parent who thinks their role is to be with their kids 24/7).

I put my two kids in a football club. They love it. I love it. Win win!!

Well in fairness, some kids are less social, and would be happier at home. To their parents it probably would feel cruel to send them and they find it hard to believe other children want to be out mixing with their peers every day.

But Springwalk not all kids are into switching off and relaxing. My dd(9) loves being 'on the go', trying out new activities, and being in a busy, structured environment with lots of her friends. She wouldn't particularly enjoy a "PJ day" for example. So, despite me working term time only, she's off to a gymnastics club for two days next week. She was desperate to get signed up, and will love it, like she's loved similar in previous holidays.
Ds (11) is a very different character, perfectly happy just pottering at home - making stuff, reading, gaming, whatever. So, he's not going to any clubs, and he's happy with that - as he has been every previous holiday. We're all different.

I think person A is pathetic, sorry. Maybe children like spending time with other children, did they ever think about that? When will some people stop to realise being glued to your kid is NOT HEALTHY. How will they ever grow into being a strong independent person? I find it so frustrating!

I spent about 50 days of the last summer holidays pretty much constantly in the company of my 5&7 yos.
NEVER AGAIN.

DS1 doesn't like wrap around care/ holiday clubs and it's been a big factor in becoming a SAHM. He is one of those children who needs quiet downtime at home.

DS2 loves sport and is much more gregarious. So my intention this year is put DS2 into some sports clubs to burn energy and socialise and let DS1 and I have some quieter 1:1 time and time to happily ignore each other quietly with no fraternal squabbling to wind everyone up. Everyone's a winner!

When I worked term times, I had to pay for nursery anyway so put the DCs in part time. They enjoyed the stability. I enjoyed the alone time. When only DS2 was in nursery and DS1 and I were together, it still worked well.

Personal space can be so important and holiday clubs can be a great way to allow members of the family to meet their social needs.

It's fine! Parents and children should decide between them, none of anyone else's business! I love my DC and want to spend time with them when I can get time off work. But that said, DS1 is football mad, so this Easter he's got 2 days of football camp when in reality we could have got by with me taking leave those days or my mum having him or DH taking leave. DS chose football as he is seeing me for most of the rest of the holiday and he loves football!

If the clubs are an activity that the kids are in interested in, and they're asking to go then of course it's fine. How never if it's more of a holiday club, just a generic one that working parents have to use at times, but the kids aren't that fussed about, and they're a stay at home parent to school age children.... then well...

I am a SAHM and my kids like to go to a local camp that is swimming pool based, it gets booked out very quickly and is run a few times during each holidays. You have to book in advance. I arrived with my two boys one morning to drop them off and there was a mum I sort of knew from the kids school who was having a strop because her kids weren't booked in and she didn't realise you had to etc. Then she saw me and said "She isn't even going to work we could use her spots" Needless to say that did not happen.

People should mind their own business. I was a sahm and sent my two to several weeks of camp every summer. Our summer holidays are long, about 10 weeks- it benefits all of us to do a variety of activities

I have an only child so she always wanted to go to clubs. She'd be bored out of her brain otherwise.

I’m currently on mat leave and I will return to teaching. I have seen some amazing holiday clubs at a sports stadium that I take my daughter to gymnastics classes. The kids in the holiday programs have access to swimming, acrobatics, break dancing, basketball etc. it looks amazing! I may send my kids for some of the time even though I am available to look after them because it’s a great opportunity to try out different sports and to have fun with peers

Ps it’s not anyone’s business if your kids go to holiday club or not. What works best for your kids/family is your family’s choice

SAHM, my kids begged to do a few days at gymnastics camp. I would have happily sent them but they both have a little bit of a tummy bug so I decided to keep them home just to be safe.

I work term time and my kids sometimes go to holiday clubs if they want to. It means they get to See their friends and do a different activity. Don't see how it would bother other people, is it because they think you're taking up places working parents could use?

I am in this dilemma as I am a SAHM at the moment but have a 4yo three days a week so not completely free. But I have my ds in holiday club 2 days per week since he broke up from school. I keep going between it's ok to feeling really guilty. I did it because he's with his friend, it's things he loves, keeps him occupied but also because I think 2 and a half weeks together every day would be too much for both of us. Feeling bit guilty though and thinking might do lot less over summer.