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?!

@SuperCaliFragalistic

If you can afford private schools you can afford holiday clubs. There are loads of good ones out there.

Bursaries

@babyyodaxmas

How is this the first year this is a problem ? Yes holiday clubs, week with grandparents (if possible) as much annual leave as you can swing. There is also unpaid parental leave (up to 4 weeks a year)

*returning* to work after extended break as sahm

You pay for holiday childcare like everybody else? 🤷‍♀️

[quote LittleRa]**@babyyodaxmas* @Dontforgetyourbrolly* as you are both asking how this has only become a problem this year and what she did before, just to point out it says in the OP “returning to work” so assume she was a SAHM previously?[/quote]
Correct
And thank you for clarifying

perhaps the school has suggestions op?

You knew how long the terms were when you signed up to private school. What plans did you make at the time?

My youngest - hates holiday clubs
Really does

But looks like holiday clubs the way forward

Thanks

@Inthevirtualwaitingroom

perhaps the school has suggestions op?

That’s a really good idea They are wonderfully supportive I’ll ask them Thank you

Friend uses school holiday club that runs for the odd week(s) around state school term dates, then usual holiday clubs for Easter and half term. She gets a summer au pair for July-September.

@CongealedCrags

Friend uses school holiday club that runs for the odd week(s) around state school term dates, then usual holiday clubs for Easter and half term. She gets a summer au pair for July-September.

Live in? Unfortunately absolutely no space for someone additional!

Unfortunately this is one of the things which we all have to face when going back to work. There is no easy answer - I had this for my entire career as a mother of school aged children. I used to dread the holidays .

I used a mixture of school holiday clubs and a local child minder when they were small. Later it got more problematical . when they were old enough to hate going to the child minder but not old enough to be home alone. You have my sympathies but I don't have a pat answer for you. Good luck.

They don’t do this. For the first two weeks and last week. But not the 6 weeks in between

So the same amount of summer holidays, that dc have at state schools, that single parents have to cover every year.

Holiday clubs are the way forward.

We have to take annual leave and holiday clubs the rest of the time. We never get to take annual leave as a family together as we don't have enough leave. Just something you have to put up with sadly.

Friends used to pay young people students connected with Brownies etc to be with kids in own home. Worked for older children who didn’t want to be in clubs the whole time but still too young to be left say 8 plus.

@ItsSnowJokes

We have to take annual leave and holiday clubs the rest of the time. We never get to take annual leave as a family together as we don't have enough leave. Just something you have to put up with sadly.

The issue with single parents is that there is only one annual holiday allowance available

My DDs nursery takes children up to 11 in the school holidays.

@MsTSwift

Friends used to pay young people students connected with Brownies etc to be with kids in own home. Worked for older children who didn’t want to be in clubs the whole time but still too young to be left say 8 plus.

Good to know I’ll explore that Thank you

I do:

Holiday clubs
WFH and use screens as babysitting
Grandparents (kids go and stay)
Swaps with other mums, I'll take leave and have their kids and they'll take mine a different day
Occasional use of paid babysitter for the day

Unless you earn more than 100k you can claim 20 registered childcare through the HMRC scheme.

I've been a completely lone parent since before DD2 was born, worked full time. Kids now 6 and 10. It's totally doable. You just need to plan plan plan.

Holiday clubs, especially at private schools, are very expensive.

OP - try local sports clubs or council run holiday clubs as they are often much more affordable. They also run specific clubs where schools are often just childcare, so you can find something the children actually enjoy.

How old are the DCs OP? I've worked since mine were 1. Combination of clubs (tough if they don't like it I'm afraid) summer nannies, grandparents (rare), au pairs, swapped with friends for a few days, WFH (when they're old enough to entertain themselves) annual leave, unpaid leave etc. Set up an excel doc with each week timetables out and start filling it in. You'll get there.

I used to use holiday clubs, I used a childminder for a while, as like your dc my youngest hated holiday clubs so this was a bit more personal.

But in the end I got a nanny, she'd come to the house so the dc had their toys etc to play with and they much preferred it. Plus she'd come whilst I was getting ready for work so I didn't have the stress of having to get them out the door.

If you get one that's ofsted registered you can claim back up to 70% of childcare costs (well you could when i did it). It's painful and costly and you have to go without things as a result, but it's not forever

Is there a young teaching assistant or gap student at the school ....I work in a private school and we have younger adults who work with us for a year as a gap year or as a uni year...could you ask if any of them want to earn some extra money acting as a nanny ?

Even a more mature TA ( like me ) might like to earn some extra in the holidays ...at least for a few weeks ??

I did this as a student myself often students looking for casual summer work and kids idolise them as they can be more fun than us exhausted middle aged with energy.

At one point most of my working friends were doing this in the summer with their primary aged kids.

@WaterBottle123 you can claim 20 hours from HMRC?

Depends where you live but round here there is almost too much choice of different holiday club activities - football, cricket, tennis, dance/performing arts, forest club, as well as the usual one run by school. The main issue I find is that some of them finish at 3pm which is difficult for work. But have always managed to find something that the DC actually like rather than just the school club.

In normal times we sometimes have done childcare swaps with friends ie I’ll have their kids one day, they reciprocate, but that hasn’t been possible for the last 12 months!
Good luck