Working parents and summer holidays

[Member345787]

I have a 6 year old and a 7 year old so have had a couple of years of the nightmare of organising childcare during the summer holidays (the year my DD was still in nursery, I nearly had to sell a kidney to cover her full time nursery fees as her 30 hours only covered term time!)

I'm not yet at panic stage - but only because I still don't know if our school will open on June 1st. And am taking a week at a time really. And I appreciate we are in unprecedented times etc etc.

But just looking for inspiration really - if holiday clubs don't re-open and schools break up as expected in July, WTF am I going to do to cover the school holidays? How is everyone else planning to cope?

For context, Grandparents in their 70s, I work four days/week and have already booked three weeks of summer as annual leave (originally planning to go away ) so no chance I can take any more leave, husband works agency so my only choice seems to be that he doesn't work (having only just gone back to work this week after no work since lockdown!)

I feel your pain! I'm vaguely hoping that my employer will be sympathetic this year and I will be able to work from home more. I do wish that the summer wasn't so long, I know it's unpopular to say it but honestly 6 weeks is a nightmare every year. I believe it comes from the days when kids used to work with harvesting ...

You need a babysitter.

Childcare.co.uk is a good place to look.

Also, ask around, word of mouth.

Students home/off for summer are a good choice, ask at any local college or 6th form or if you have a local Uni ask there in case any students are staying for summer.

I'm assuming I'll continue as I do now - working from home and pretty much neglecting my children.

I will take a couple of weeks leave and hope that my exH does the same.

What are you doing now? I assume no childcare?

I'm a little concerned about this. I usually pay an out of school club and manage holidays between myself and ExH, but if the clubs aren't going to be open I'd struggle. Plus my DC's school are off for 7 weeks this year.

The only saving grace I have is that I'm a key worker, so if they keep that agreement I'm fine. But I can't imagine they'll keep the schools open for us over the whole summer?

It's a nightmare isn't it. We've had lots of threads and chats last few days about the massive head fuck that is current lack of childcare options.

General consensus is that all you can do is employ a nanny to look after the kids in your home over the summer.

Unless of course you are lucky enough to live in an area where there are childminders with any spaces of course. But if you did you probably wouldn't be already relying on clubs and play schemes for wrap around and holiday care!!!

Glad I am not alone! I usually manage during term time with breakfast club and after school club (not available from 1st June) and then pay for holiday clubs for set weeks during the summer and DH and I take as much annual leave as we can.

I am a keyworker and so now my husband is back at work, my children are back at school but I am assuming that the schools will end (even for key workers) come the start of the summer holidays

Will the holiday clubs be open? Kings camp type

I'm in Scotland and our hubs are staying open for keyworkers and vulnerable children over the summer.

Mix of working from home and grandparents

We lost our childminder as she was demanding full fees whilst being closed even though I was furloughed and my income had halved

We had to accept "temp" pay cuts of 30%+ so I've told my work until they reinstate my contractual salary I can't afford to pay for childcare

The school I work at are currently staying open for key worker children during the holidays until we are told other wise.

You have three weeks and your DH has three weeks - just not the same weeks. Me and DH have some of the same weeks booked for annual leave. Now that holidays won’t happen and other people are in the same situation we are both going to have reshuffle everything.

Problem is for me certainly is I'm limited to two weeks annual leave over the summer holidays. I'm a nurse and we need minimum staffing levels.

Really hoping depending on how it goes with schools going back maybe some holiday clubs will run-sports type ones, tennis/football/running with kids taking their own packed lunch perhaps?

I'm delighted!! I'm wfh all summer so can save my leave and not fork out for childcare. Kids can run feral.

If it's safe for kids to go back to school from next week surely it's safe for holiday clubs to resume over the summer holidays?

Just googled-PGL and Kingscamps look like they are planning to run this summer (depending on government guidance) so hoping other more local ones will be similar.

Hire a local student , preferably the offspring of someone you know.

My plan is not to go back to work until September but I am self employed.

Thanks everyone! Think I will see what happens with the announcement tomorrow, and if restrictions ease over the coming weeks - hoping that either holiday clubs restart or schools continue for keyworkers over the holidays.

DH can't take annual leave as only started working there last week so worse case scenario he will have to not work/take unpaid leave/leave their employment for four weeks.

I feel your pain. I've had ALL holiday forcibly booked by my company so I have nothing left for anything the rest of the year. Dh has to work - we have no choice. He cannot schedule time off, and works abroad so he can't do picks ups etc because he's not even in the country. Relatives all over an hour an a half away. Nearby friends are all in same position- we all have to work, so can't just ask each other to look after each other's children. I literally don't know what the fuck I'm going to do.

Just watch out for the whole “not mixing bubbles” thing. Our nursery not running any wrap around or holiday clubs for older ones to avoid any mixing with nursery bubbles. We’re just going to have to cobble something together with annual leave and working every weekend instead.

I am hiring a temp nanny, and will have to get a £4K loan to cover the cost. All annual leave already used for the lockdown.
I dont know what I will do if things are not back to normal in September.

Childminder?

I'm hoping for a social bubble with a grandparent. Will potentially keep her off school to minimise contact before summer holidays so that there is less risk for her Grandparents during the summer holidays.
Potentially my work will be part time through summer and then it will be easier to manage without grandparent.