To be very worried how I’m going to work in the school holidays?

[Cherrymentos19]

Single parent
Returning to work
My children are at private schools - so great during term time as wonderful before and after school activities

However the holidays are outrageously long!

Easter break... 3.5 weeks

Summer holidays... 9 weeks!

Half terms are generally 2 weeks.

I have no support locally. The children’s father will not be on hand in any meaningful way, and absolutely no point pursuing that point - because zero chance of change. Zero.

So what do people do?!

It’s tough, mine have both gone to holiday clubs since they were about 4-5, some better than others. Now they’re teenagers so more manageable. Another option is swaps with another mum, so each taking 2 days off a week and having their kids and vice versa, you could also ask for some extra unpaid leave or to flex your hours and work more in term time and less in holidays.
It’s tough, I used to have huge spreadsheets coded for each day of the 6 weeks holidays for mine, I’d usually try and take 1-2 full weeks off and then 1 days a week for the other weeks so I could spend 1 day a week with them.
Loads of parents are in the same boat which is why holiday clubs are popular, it will be a stress for a few years but easier once they are teens x

I smell BS - you can’t get a bursary if you are a SAHM. You have to both be working and on losing income. Also most bursaries are for children old enough to stay home alone.

Toomuchtrouble4me so you know the bursary tes and conditions of every private school in the country? Because clearly you don't know ours - there's no means testing attached at all.

Take 2 weeks holiday then 7 weeks holiday club. Try local leisure centre, though I assume the school will have a club.

When my child was young I was a single p and I was over the moon when I found a family with same age child looking for holiday care - maybe there’s someone like me that could help you?

How much do you pay in school fees? Who pays? I know private schools rarely have a 100% discount. Couldn’t you or their dad pay for childcare? Plenty of low income parents manage during state school holidays.

You'll have to pay for childcare as everyone has to. Holiday clubs are great though I used childminders because there were hardly any clubs when my children were at school. As others have said, if you can afford private schools you can afford childcare

@Toomuchtrouble4me

I smell BS - you can’t get a bursary if you are a SAHM. You have to both be working and on losing income. Also most bursaries are for children old enough to stay home alone.

Bull. Shit.

I was a single sahm and secured a very sizeable bursary for my son

I won’t go in to the detail because I don’t want to share but the key is that I was a SAHM (divorced as the op is) and I secured a very big bursary.

I have a private school bursary for my kids as a single mum and I'm a student. Different rules for different schools.

But in answer to the OP, you use holiday clubs, take leave, share childcare with others, work from home when you can or consider a term time only job.

@TrixieMixie

Marry a general in the army and get him to defraud the taxpayer into paying boarding school fees - but hope he doesn’t get caught like that bloke who’s just been given two years for that scam. If you can afford private school fees you can afford to pay for childcare. This is a smug middle class humblebrag. There are kids who’ve missed huge amounts of school, are not being properly fed, and are living in real deprivation. Get some perspective.

You clearly haven't read the thread.

However it was actually that gentleman I was suspecting of being the OPs ex husband. Or similar scenario...

Yes OP.

To the judgy feckers.

Depends on the holiday club I think as they have to register and some choose not to - the one as my sons school doesn’t unfortunately

[quote OverTheRubicon]**@TheOrigRights* The OP has explained that he is terminally ill. I think the OP was a SAHM before now.*

She said to 'think' scenarios like that when ex can't be involved, but when the potential of his parents providing any care was raised said intimated that they wouldn't because he's an ex (which I don't understand, my.exFIL is no fan of mine, but does love his grandkids) as well as living overseas.

Agree that op must have been an sahm, to have zero idea of how anyone manages childcare during school holidays.[/quote]
Oh I see, I had skim read that post.

Some of the comments here are ridiculous:

"Do they not spent some of the holidays with their father?" Well presumably not or OP wouldn't have detailed all the weeks she needs childcare. The not so subtle blaming of resident parents for non-resident parents inability to take responsibility is already alive and kicking in society and on here too it would seem.

Single parenting and working is a constant near impossible or impossible problem even without a pandemic to reduce options even further.

Its the reason I work part time and have to survive on a low wage. Doesn't his dad look after him?? No, cos he's a knob. Not my fault. And not OPs either

What area of the country are you in? Some are much better served for holiday care than others. Last summer I easily got mine into holiday club for example when I had friends in other counties where literally nothing was open. What I have noticed is that Easter and summer seem to be easier to organise care for. It may be that you need to prioritise leave for half terms and Christmas. WFH might give you some flex depending on the age of your children and nature of your work.

I’ve also noticed the 8-6 options are much more expensive than the 9-3 but I really need the longer day so options are more limited.

I’m afraid this is the real life of most people during holidays . You can use holiday clubs ,family , au pair, childminder if papa doesn’t want to step in for time perhaps he can for cash for care or his parents might help 🤷🏼‍♀️

I think it depends how independent the kids are.

The lake near me runs a summer scheme of sailing, kayaking and paddle boarding. It is reasonable: about £120 per week, but the organisers are instructors, not trained childcare supervisors. Children bring a packed lunch and sit and eat it for an hour at twelve. The day lasts from about 9.30 till 3pm. I doubt if the instructors could do more than oversee when not teaching. Some children would be all right with the arrangement. I only know really about my own son who has SEN , so I don't know if such clubs are good for all children. Some kids may decide they hate the water, and get upset, and not want to go again. I'm sure the instructors are great in such situations, but I don't know if, for the child, a certain level of resilience and being sensible is needed. . The before and after care needs thinking about. Maybe an older teenager working but not having full responsibility for entertaining, eg., taking the kids to a club such as the one I describe above; being on hand to help with kit and drinks; but not having sole management.

Teaching assistant jobs fit in around holidays, and this is an attractive job choice for many parents, when the children are small.

For those suggesting holiday clubs - in my area they haven't ran at all during pandemic - no signs of them restarting yet. School isn't doing breakfast club or after school activities either. My child's bubble is shut at present. As are 2 others. I can't see the local schools hiring halls out for clubs in the near future.

When my children were in school - I worked in low paid term time only job in a school.
The knowledge of knowing I would never have to worry about childcare (almost) cancelled out I was doing a job that I would never of chosen ; had I not had children .

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

Perhaps the bursaries cover half and she covers half and now she has a problem i that not only is childcare expensive, but she has specifically stated that her children hate holiday clubs.

Half of private school fees is a huge amount if money. Unless shes got exceptionally rare large bursaries, it's likely that her contribution to two lots of fees would easily cover a nanny for state school holidays.

Choosing private school is an expensive, luxurious, non essential decision. It will come at cost that the vast majority of the country can't afford whether with bursaries or without. It's a first world problem.

I’ve just checked one of our local private schools (primary) and the term fees are roughly £2,500, so not extortionate.

Bypassing the Dad and GP as not available for you,
I have used school holiday club (check local schools, some take children that don't attend their school)
School PE guy did holiday clubs at either a primary school hall/field or secondary PE hall/field (look on local fb groups, contact local schools for suggestions)
Local sports club (do cricket, hockey and tennis holiday clubs, look up on local facebook, join their pages
Do the kids do any hobbies/activities, some do holiday clubs too

Holiday clubs and swapping with friends. For the weeks that there is no holiday club provision (approx 3 over the summer), I take holiday and our sometimes school runs a holiday club. Good luck OP. Def recommend trying to join forces with another family? It does mean on my day off i have a few kids to entertain 😑

Our local council runs free play schemes in the holidays. There is also a wide choice of privately run schemes some of which are special interest eg drama based/football/music/whatever

Alternatively you could maybe team up with another single parent and look after each other's kids for some of the weeks.

Not read the full thread but I wondered if there's an option to work from home some days? (If your kids are old enough to occupy themselves of course)

You ought to try it on an NHS nurse and carers salary if you think you have it tough! If you can afford private school, you will be fine paying for holiday clubs like every working parent out there