Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What happens to children over the summer?

384 replies

Randomfires · 08/07/2020 16:28

Have I missed something because I’m sure the government said that there were to be childcare schemes set up but I can’t find anything further on this since early June.

Husband and I are keyworkers and the local holiday summer schemes are all closed. Some of the schools are doing a play scheme but not ours. Really confused as to what we’re meant to do when schools shut in 3 weeks.

OP posts:
ZombieLizzieBennet · 10/07/2020 09:32

Can you tell us how you learned about the remaining annual leave entitlement of both partners and how much, if any, they're able to take this summer? You must know all this for sure, in order to be able to decide there shouldn't be an issue.

nicegirl73 · 10/07/2020 09:46

I’ve sometimes employed a nanny for just the summer, for three children it works out one of the best and cheapest options anyway. Last year I was super lucky to find a Spanish girl studying to be a teacher.

Aragog · 10/07/2020 09:55

Herja - to be fair I think that experience is quite unusual, certainly amongst the people I know who babysat and amongst dd and her friends.

Dd is 18y, has a current dbs (from school based voluntary work), has a lot of experience of working with children in schools and with a children with a range of needs and from different backgrounds. She starts a teaching degree in September and she plans to teach primary as her career. . She is conscientious. Yes, she drinks but would never drink when supervising children nor get drunk the night before a day she was to babysit. She's never taken drugs. She wouldn't allow random people in the house with her, etc.

Pretty much all her friends are like this in terms of being responsible, I babysat as a teen and I was the same, as was my friends.

I think most teens are actually pretty sensible and responsible when they need to be. And the ones that would be an issue are the minority.

Randomfires · 10/07/2020 10:24

@Fishfingersandwichplease that’s lovely well done. This thread really has separated the kind people from the twats hasn’t it? When even parents on a parenting site don’t support each other then what have we become? And I thought Covid was meant to herald a new era of kindness and community as we all realised what was important in life....maybe for some people being nasty on an anonymous website brings them joy, if so....I’m sorry.

For everyone else who’s written helpful/ supportive comments, thank you. And I hope that all you others that are struggling find some solutions / respite too.

OP posts:
SummerDayWinterEvenings · 10/07/2020 10:28

@MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously

I think some people are deliberately obtuse. Normal summer arrangements aren't available for a lot of people right now.

Personally I wouldn't be happy hiring some random uni student or person on furlough to look after my kids - there's a reason why nurseries and nannies and childminders have to be trained and registered and insured!

But to be fair -we KNEW this would happen back in May so this is not a new issue.

Ask friends, neighbours etc, local child minders et al.

MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 10/07/2020 10:42

Maybe the OP was relying on the govt to sort out a proper solution. It's not feasible to ask friends and neighbors to look after your dc for the whole summer. Most people wouldn't fancy doing this at the best if times, let alone now, when we want to spend as little time as possible with people outside of our own households.

ZombieLizzieBennet · 10/07/2020 10:52

But to be fair -we KNEW this would happen back in May so this is not a new issue.

Ask friends, neighbours etc, local child minders et al.

Awareness that a problem was going to happen doesn't magically go hand in hand with there being a workable solution to that problem. It's amazing how many posters don't seem to understand that when the number of childcare options are narrowed, which they have been, this leaves some people in a position where they can't access anything at all.

HowLongCanICallitBabyWeight · 10/07/2020 11:03

Have you checked local private day nurseries? DS's don't usually run summer clubs etc but they are this year for up to five year olds even if they're usually at school, and have never been to that nursery before, it's Montessori/forest school so lots of outdoor activities.

PicsInRed · 10/07/2020 11:05

I love the au pair solution. In the middle of a global pandemic, with international travel greatly curtailed.

Import in crate?

gingajewel · 10/07/2020 11:45

I cannot stand the “find a nanny” solutions! I live in a council estate in the middle of a shit town, where the hell does someone find a nanny!!!!!! Not everyone lives in London! I can just imagine saying to people “I have a nanny” it really is laughable!
Anyway to answer the op, I have seen some holiday clubs slowly opening, My oh is furloughed till at least sept so for the first time in years I haven’t had to worry about childcare!

coasterboaster · 10/07/2020 11:49

The summer holidays aren't new.

Facing them with ALL the usual clubs, camps and activities cancelled due to covid, is new.

LaurieMarlow · 10/07/2020 11:50

I love the au pair solution. In the middle of a global pandemic, with international travel greatly curtailed.

Classic and entirely predictable MN stupidity.

LaurieMarlow · 10/07/2020 11:52

I cannot stand the “find a nanny” solutions!

I know right?

There is no army of nannies waiting in the wings people. Nanny’s only ever serviced a tiny proportion of the population and demand for them has skyrocketed.

They were a premium solution prior to this, now they can probably name their price and someone will pay.

ZombieLizzieBennet · 10/07/2020 11:55

@coasterboaster

The summer holidays aren't new.

Facing them with ALL the usual clubs, camps and activities cancelled due to covid, is new.

Yup.
AlfieandAnnieRose · 10/07/2020 11:58

I’ve booked my 4 year old into a holiday club, he’s missed a lot of nursery and he loves playing with other children so I’ll know he’ll have lots of fun

littlefireseverywhere · 10/07/2020 12:00

What about asking family friends, for teenager recommendations or anyone locally to you that’s furloughed & would like to look after your 4 year old. You might need to get a bit creative

SeagoingSexpot · 10/07/2020 12:11

I live in a council estate in the middle of a shit town, where the hell does someone find a nanny!!!!!!

Well, effectively a nanny is anybody who looks after your child in your home. Experienced nannies aren't going to be thick on the ground, no, but more because of lack of people able to pay normal nanny wages rather than lack of people with the skills. Two families clubbing together to pay a 19yo childcare student with DBS minimum wage and split the cost could legitimately be called a "nanny" situation and may be workable for some. I'm not suggesting it's a solution for all. But it is an option. I haven't seen any indication that nanny wages have gone up; rather the opposite, that there are many many young people at a loose end and in need of some cash who are willing and available.

drspouse · 10/07/2020 12:22

I suggest people come back when they've contacted all the regular holiday club leaders to pass on their details to all the staff the club has had to lay off.

LaurieMarlow · 10/07/2020 12:27

Well, effectively a nanny is anybody who looks after your child in your home.

There are laws round these things though. Legally if people come to your house to mind your children on a regular basis, they are nannies and you are liable for their national insurance, sick pay, mat leave, etc.

Now obviously this can and should be waived in the present circs. But it would be very helpful if some central body was there to give advice and practical assistance in terms of registering, dbs checking potential applicants and how payment should be handled.

famousforwrongreason · 10/07/2020 13:05

@SeagoingSexpot

I live in a council estate in the middle of a shit town, where the hell does someone find a nanny!!!!!!

Well, effectively a nanny is anybody who looks after your child in your home. Experienced nannies aren't going to be thick on the ground, no, but more because of lack of people able to pay normal nanny wages rather than lack of people with the skills. Two families clubbing together to pay a 19yo childcare student with DBS minimum wage and split the cost could legitimately be called a "nanny" situation and may be workable for some. I'm not suggesting it's a solution for all. But it is an option. I haven't seen any indication that nanny wages have gone up; rather the opposite, that there are many many young people at a loose end and in need of some cash who are willing and available.

Jesus. In the middle of the pandemic we are talking about the desperate exhausted working parents, possibly single parents on their last nerve, 'clubbing together with another family to find a kid who iis dbs checked and pay them minimum wage. Wow. An absolute disaster waiting to happen. Many many kids have dbs checks, through doing childcare courses, first jobs in care, hospital etc. doesn't necessarily follow that they will be good with our kids. Anybody who is experienced in childcare will know their worth and they will definitely be cashing in with higher prices just as other businessez are. And also... Minimum wage 19 year old? Spoken like a true capitalist. Let's see how many people we can exploit during this global disaster shall we? Desperate parents. Skint inexperienced kids, small innocent children lumped in with another family they might not know and looked after by a bloody stranger being paid peanuts. A decent experienced nanny is not the type of person you can use for modern day slavery anymore. Laws and restrictions have changed. People who use tax credits towards childcare costs can only use the money to pay for ofsted registered childcare, so all you lucky and clueless women banging on about using friends, family, virtual strangers, how are you proposing parents fund this? And those saying that we should have prepared by not taking leave, I have not taken any leave since lockdown started. With my part time hours I still only have a couple of weeks to cover the holidays. My leave allowance automatically deducts Christmas and Easter so I have already had leave taken from my small allowance, plus we still have no idea whether October half term is covered by holiday clubs. I have no family support due to a toxic and abusive upbringing. I am exhausted and on my last nerve due to having disability and mental health issues and I could have done with holiday weeks before now, instead I'm battling through with panic attacks, dread, fear, loneliness and no support from anywhere.

I know many people who don't have family support nearby or at all.
It's not as straightforward as people here think.
People on here make me sick sometimes.

Rainbow12e · 10/07/2020 13:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gingajewel · 10/07/2020 13:18

Surely a 19 year old would be a babysitter or childminder? Aren’t nanny’s normally employed by families? Once again I can guarantee there is not one nanny round by where I live, not one!! Despite what Mumsnet might think they are not a norm for 90% of England, there really not!! And if nannies are employed by families that’s another headache right there! I certainly couldn’t afford one!!!

zingally · 10/07/2020 13:26

Bit of an "out there" idea... But supply teachers have been off since March (I'm one of them!)... If you asked around, you might find one who is looking for a bit of cash-in-hand work...? They will have DBS police checks, and probably first aid certificates as well...

I'd seriously consider it if I were asked.

Rainbow12e · 10/07/2020 13:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pinkglove75318 · 10/07/2020 13:29

@Randomfires

You can employ an au pair/nanny to work in your house righty-ho I’ll just go and book that, cheers 🙄
They're no need to be rude.

Poster suggested numerous things.

Swipe left for the next trending thread