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 used to have this problem all the time because It was difficult getting care outside school time.

Didn’t help that my eldest has sn and if he didn’t like something and well.

Anyway, classroom assistants, care workers, nannies, au pairs, uni students, 6th formers, secondary schoolers, after school club workers etc were always my go to.

I wouldn’t approach them directly because it puts them on the spot. I’d mention it in passing and if they hear of anyone let me know. It also helped they knew what they’d be dealing with. Like some ta’s tutor privately and have the relieve qualifications etc.

And obviously there were times I needed a break but couldn’t afford it. A group of us had a casual arrangement of asking/offering time etc. To stop cheeky fuckers, you cannot ask until you’ve done something. And the something wasn’t a lot, because we understood sometimes there is no time to reciprocate. Just don’t take the piss. And when asking for someone to watch yours there was never any explanation.

I would be happy to run my usual summer holiday club but with reduced numbers of children I would need to charge quite a bit more and I’m not sure how this will go down!

I've told employer ain't going bk til after kids go bk I'm.wfh anyways as a nurse. I've agreed to start trialling clinics on a.monday as husband doesnt work mondays. So I'll be watching them. Usually I have 2 weeks annual leave for a holiday mid hols. And rest of time bk n forward to inlaws or mums

My DD's school run their own Summer camp for a couple of weeks every year and they are hoping to still go ahead, they have even extended the period to three weeks. My DD is super excited as she volunteers every year, she gets bored whilst I'm at work, but now she is in year 12 she will get paid for the first time!

I imagine the organisers will keep the children in smaller groups so limit contact between teachers and older pupils/volunteers. Fingers crossed OP that some holiday clubs go ahead this year. I feel for everyone juggling work whilst trying to home school primary school children.

It is going to be a nightmare. None of the local holiday clubs are opening here, have already said so. Schools will be shut. Too old for nursery. My friend is going to have to quit her job as her parents are both shielding and won't have him and there is no other family anywhere near. Her DP vanished off with the OW years ago. She has no options. I am shielding so can't have her kids either. There is a huge lack of childminders in this area already.

I somehow screwed that up. My friend has one child too old for nursery and the other isn't old enough to look after him

My school (teacher here) has asked staff to volunteer over the Easter holidays and this half term to support key worker and vulnerable children. I imagine we'll do the same other the summer holidays and I'll happily sign up to go in. Might schools in your area off the same thing? Even if your child can't attend normal school, could they access a hub school in the area?