Christmas childcare!

[Christmaschildcare]

Before I had children, I thought parents wanted Christmas off because of the ‘magic’ of Christmas with children. I’m sure some do but I now realise it’s mostly because THERE’S NO FLIPPING CHILDCARE OPTIONS AVAILABLE

I have three children under six. Their school is (naturally) closed, their nursery is closed. There are no holiday clubs in our area open whatsoever. We have no one to ask - everyone either works or is in same boat as us so cannot look after THREE CHILDREN for us.

We need to find cover for two weeks. My dh can take a week, and I can take a week, so we’re lucky that we can plan to share.

but even that has been an issue for both employees. We’ve both been told we ‘need to do our part’ and ‘can’t expect to be off just because you’ve got kids’ and ‘well it needs to be fair to everyone’ etc etc.

while I agree with this in theory - in practice, what on Earth am I supposed to do for childcare? If my employer says I can’t take the week off - well, unfortunately, I will be, as I can’t leave three children at home. I’m not being difficult, I genuinely have nowhere and no one to send them to. I wish I did.

is there some magical Christmas childcare solution I’m missing? Please enlighten me 😩

I think OP and her DH are both unable to take annual leave to cover all the days.

This is the kind of attitude I was talking about earlier.

What do you expect the OP to do - leave her under 6s all alone? 🙄

I don't understand how people end up with no childcare options. I've moved around a lot, and nowhere has had one singular nursery and absolutely nothing else at all. Lot's of childminders do ad-hoc, ask around for babysitters, use an agency (sitters), childcare.co.uk, bubble, ask at your nursery if any staff can do it. Swap with friends, you do Tuesday, we'll do Wednesday. You might have to pay more for OOH childcare, but it's only a few days and you've got plenty of time to sort it out.

I think this must be the only reason teachers stay in their jobs they seem so miserable about everything else.

This. I agree with @piccolorhinoceros and @Isometimeswonder . I understand your dilemma but at no point is that the problem of either your employer or your colleagues. I don't like your attitude that you will be taking leave regardless and pretty much expecting everyone else to shift around their plans to cover you. Very selfish and entitled.

I think the point is that many of these options are less available at Christmas.

This isn't fair on people who also need time off, perhaps they live a long way from their family and need to go home to see them . My mum always had a similar problem in the summer holiday as priority was given to those with children but my mum who was married to a teacher and could only go on holiday during the school holidays had to fight for her right to have time off with my dad. Obviously Christmas was fine.

Not her employers problem or that of her colleagues....

I actually can’t believe the things some people can’t believe in this thread. Lack of childcare was the reason I left my last job and nobody believed it, they thought I wasn’t trying hard enough (including my husband).

Also, the standard Christmas holidays is 2 weeks. It was 2 weeks when I was at school in the late 80s. My DS finishes on the 19th and goes back on the 6th January. That is 7 working days to cover.

I believe it. But yeah that's what you have to do. Quit and find a job that works. Sucks

Is being off ‘sick’ an option? Whether her colleagues care or not isn’t likely to be a high concern but could op lose her job/get a warning etc?

On a legal forum a few years ago someone posted to say parents leave had been prioritised over those without children and so all those without children had slowly left leaving the parents in a position that some would have to work Christmas. The person posting said she couldn’t find childcare and could she just call in sick on Christmas Eve/day. But that was an American person posting and I’m assuming their laws are different.

Fine, I'd advise her to take it off sick then. Not her problem if they struggle to find cover, hmm?

When I was a child, my father was in charge of his practice. It was a small partnership, but he was senior partner. He was a workaholic, but he always closed the office in its entirety for a week over Christmas and New Year and for a fortnight in early August. That way, he knew nothing could possibly come up while he wasn’t there and all of his staff had a guaranteed holiday during the school holidays. I think more firms should do this. Obviously there are some that can’t (in healthcare etc), but many could.

I can see why it’s a problem. Our nursery only closes for a week but if you’re excited to work that week I don’t think I know wtf I’d do!

This is, in reality, what will probably happen. It is actually very much the problem of the employer if an employee isn't able to work.

Quite

I'm really lucky to have local family to help but I absolutely agree with your principle, OP. I'm afraid I don't have the answers though.

Ive done my best to make good choices. I never moan about the cost of holiday clubs, or having to use one. I've chosen a flexible employer and also work part time, and have chosen a partner who pulls his weight. But Christmas is an issue because of the lack of clubs and the fact that the BHs are part way through the week, meaning that people generally seem to see it as attractive to have the odd day off in-between.

Knowing what I know now about how hard it is for parents, I would absolutely offer to work over Christmas if I was childfree. I too get frustrated at the suggestion that time off for parents is to have some sort of magical 2 week experience. I do love spending time with DS but I would be perfectly happy to work if it wasn't for childcare and wouldn't feel like I needed more than the BHs off (am lucky enough to always have those, at least).

Okay, so this is a real and significant problem. You need to speak to your LA about this. They have an early years team whose job it is to monitor childcare Sufficiency and if there is no Xmas childcare, they need to know about it. They will also have a list of ofsted registered childminders, clubs, and home childcarers (like nannies) who you can contact. You can also ask if they have a childcare brokerage service you can access.

I don’t know of a single nursery or childminder who works over Christmas. A nanny might have more flexibility but then they also might not.

It's really common in health care for some to actually want to work Christmas and NY so it usually evens out, they either hate Christmas, don't celebrate it or are from overseas so might as well work for the extra pay.
Usually shifts are covered and it's fair.
Some people do the 1st December Christmas starts thing it doesnt and do festive stuff for the whole month
What's not fair is parents expecting the whole 2 weeks off and sod everyone else, every year.

Same. The childminders serving our school all seem to take holiday over Christmas, which is understandable.

How about an au pair? You might offer her an extra week's board and lodging with no duties as an incentive for coming at Christmas time.

I think the long term solution is to get another job that allows time off over Christmas. As a teacher I've never had to worry about childcare apart from the odd day eg training day.

See again I think most au pairs would be going home for Christmas.