To wonder how you're spending

[nooriginalnameshere]

The 6 week summer holiday if you have school aged children? What are they doing and what are you doing?

I have two weeks off, same time as my DH.

I work from home at least 2 days a week so can be at home with them.

They are old enough to be home alone now, but when they weren't they went to an activity camp 8.30am till 5pm. Cost a fortune but we had no choice.

I work freelance and can take my work with me, so me and the kids go to stay with family who happen to live in a great location and have lots of space for three weeks. I work (a bit) and play a bit. We then go on 10 day holiday with dad/husband. No one is working then at all (hurray). The last week, there is usually a lot of screen time, a lot of 'yes, we'll go to the park in a minute, I just need to finish these emails', but we get through it until school starts again.

Four weeks annual leave, and two weeks holiday club. We're lucky that we have managed to use this much leave over one period (we'll be staying with friends abroad as a family). I also work 3 days a week so holiday club is only ever three days out of five.

Actually I think it's three weeks holiday club as the hols are 7 weeks. Haven't booked that but yet!

We have 2 DDs, aged 10 and 12. They are both sensible, reliable, trustworthy and get on well together, so we (and they) are happy for them to be home alone together.

DH and I both work FT, but have taken off one week in August together and we will have a 'holiday' then (just visiting family in various parts of the UK). We have also each booked off either a Thursday or a Friday every week so that one of us is with the children on those days.

My DM will have them for the day on Mondays as she only works the end of the week, she'll be around Tues and Weds mornings too, so they can hang out with her if they'd like to (she lives about a 20 minute walk from our house), but I suspect they'll just make these mornings their 'chill out time' and will relax watching YouTube and Netflix in their PJs on the sofas! I finish at 2 on Tues and 3 on Weds, so will be home shortly after that. DH works 10 minutes walk away, and I'm 7 minutes by car so we can both be home pretty quickly in an emergency.

Both girls have front door keys and phones with trackers on them and we will allow them to venture out to the park 5 minutes away from home or the shop (less than a minute away) whilst we are at work, as long as they stay together and text us to let us know before they go.

It's a huge mindset change from previous years where they were too young to be left alone for more than 15 mins or so, but I think having the eldest start Senior School and the fact that they both travel to and from school on their own and let themselves in when they get home (an hour before either DH or me), means that all 4 of us feel confident that they are ready - we practised a bit over the Easter break and they're going to spend most of Tuesday and Wednesday this week (half term) home alone, which they're looking forward to.

It's amazing to think that we've mostly made it through the 'paid childcare' years now - when I think of all the thousands and thousands of pounds it has cost us over the years, and how there was one August where I ended up nearly £50 worse off for having worked 3 days a week whilst having to pay for childcare for the 2 of them...

I work in a school so I get the holidays too. I feel extremely fortunate to be in this position.
I think having to organise (and in many cases, pay for) holiday care is a terrible burden on families. Making people live to work rather than the other way around. Civilised barbarianism.

Private school so 9 weeks. I’m self employed. My kids are teens now. The eldest (15) has a part time job and the rest of the time he’s with his girlfriend, rowing (member of local club and has about 4 Regattas over the summer), gym, festivals, chilling. 14 year old has no organised activities and enjoys doing her art (last night she said she was ‘in love’ with her new pens). When younger they did activity clubs for about a week, we went away for about a week, and we’d have a few visitors (we live on an island) for a few days each. We really enjoy not having a schedule and just doing what we fancy when we want. This could just mean chilling at home and watching a movie together. It could mean going out for a meal and visiting an attraction. My son is more independent but still likes us to do stuff as a family (no husband he passed away some time ago). Too bad I can’t take a holiday from laundry/housework/ cooking!

I love reading people’s plans....

The first week, we go away on the Thursday for two weeks to Ibiza. Get back and we have that long weekend off all together.

Third week of the hols I will be working the Thursday and Friday, so they’ll go to Childminder’s every Thursday and someone will have them on the Friday, family member. We’ll probably chill that week, go to the park etc. Going camping that weekend.

Fourth week I will put eldest in a tennis camp and little one in a multi sports camp, 3 hours a day.

Fifth week will start catching up with friends as they come back from holidays. Eldest will perhaps do a day at the climbing wall.

Last week we will probably visit my mum and dad who live at the beach.

Really looking forward to it, I love the holidays!

I have the last 2 weeks of the holidays off work. My parents are having DD during the day for the first 4. With possibly 1 day a week at a day activity.
She doesn’t have any time with her Dad,

Im a teacher so I'm off for the summer. Dr finishes before me, so is going to her father's for a few days. We then have 6 lovely weeks of hanging out! I will do a bit of work, but try to do only one day a week. We have a week booked in Spain, one in the UK. Visits to friends. Catching up on sleep. Catching up on cleaning. Lots of days out pottering, or on bikes, or at museums etc.

3 weeks annual leave between DH and I, one week with a local grandparent, 2 weeks away with other family who live 3+ hours away. They love going to see family in the summer holidays, and we love the break ha.

I teach so finished when they do, which is a lovely part of my work.

We are going on holiday for the second and third weeks, the DC have training camps for the fourth week (one football, one cricket), we're having a shorter trip to visit family in Italy during the fifth week then the last week is down time and getting ready to go back to school.

I tend not to book too much in for holidays as term time is always so busy.

DS is a sixth former so no childcare required anymore. We are going to America for a wedding but will probably go for two weeks. We are also planning a week in a canal boat somewhere in the UK.

When dc were small it was always holiday clubs and DH and I would take a week off seperately.

Teacher here too so I’ll be home too...I’ll be booking my eldest into one or two camps. No holiday this year as we are moving but we do live in a seaside county so plenty to do and lovely beaches to go to.

Past that stage now but at various times we’ve used Supercamps, swaps with a mate in the same position, sending them to stay with grandparents for a week, and hiring their old nanny, who now works as a TA and is available over the summer.

Dh and I each off for 2 weeks at the start overlapping in the middle for a ten day holiday all together.
Then two weeks summer camp at school (same set up as normal afterschool club, paid with childcare vouchers). Then a one week swimming / sports camp - more expensive.
Then me off the last half week to get organised before a mid-week restart for pupils.

I have worked mad overtime and am off for six weeks. However, DD as per usual has a full schedule and I’ve been lucky to schedule a 10 day break with her.

I only work 3 days a week. 2 of them my grandmother will have them and my neighbour will have them on the other day. I give my neighbour £20 to cover their food, bus fare and stuff

1 week off with the DC, the other time they will be going to a holiday club. we are all dreading it (DC1 has severe autism/LDs and hates it) but I cannot get more than one week off work and should be glad I found a provider for DC. Other than that we won't do much. just spending the week off at home. Childcare for the remaining weeks were DC are in a club will exceed my earnings so it's gonna be all very tight. no holidays or days out. Cannot wait for September for school to begin. Summer is hell for us!

I'm self employed but luckily DD7 can come with me, either staying in the car or sitting in the office (where one is available) she's happy enough provided she has drinks/snacks and her tablet. Not ideal but can't afford to pay for childcare and I've nobody to ask, though her dad will have her when it fits in around work and any plans with his girlfriend/mates

I’m a teacher so will be off. My daughter finishes nursery school on the 26th July, before starting school in August, so will have her at home with me for the last 3 weeks of the holidays. My son will probably be in nursery most days, as we pay for it if he goes or not. Might keep him out Monday/Friday to have some long weekends. We’re away to Skye for the first week of the holidays, and I’m sure we’ll get a few days out and about if husband can get time off. Planning a theatre trip with my daughter too, which she is very excited about