To think you only properly enjoy the school holidays if you don’t work or are part time?

[Forky1]

Up until this year, I worked part time and found the school holidays much easier to juggle. I enjoyed days out with the kids and generally did not find it too stressful. Fast forward to this year and I am full time in a job with long hours and unpaid overtime and it has honestly been such a juggle. For the first time in years, I agree with people when they say 6 weeks is too long.

Oh God that seems awful. I wondered what people were talking about saying they were working all these hours.
One woman & her husband were doing minimum wage jobs as well!!!

😅😅😅 I see. I've never really had a 'job'.

Hate to mention it to those who think the holiday is too long, but the Summer holiday is 7 weeks next year. ( definitely in North Yorkshire)

For me I would say it's the other way round! I've had this summer off as a SAHM and we've had fun days of course, but it feels relentless. Constantly thinking of ideas of what to do to keep DS entertained, not being able to have any time to do something productive myself (even keeping on top of the house), financially you spend more doing activities (even when we do spend lots of days down the park).
I've had a particularly difficult day today but I've found it frustrating getting no rest bite and having outstanding things I need to do but I'm in entertainment mode or feel guilty otherwise.

This summer was the first time I've enjoyed the school holidays. And it's because I now WFH full time. Sadly it's an adjustment for a serious degenerative disease I have been diagnosed with.

But it's been so nice having lunch at home with the kids every day.

I'm dreading them going back and all the school stuff starting.

Don’t you use annual leave?

My job is definitely not family friendly. The irony is, it is working with children so when the schools close, my job becomes even busier.

I definitely agree the discussion needs to be reframed to employers being more family-friendly and the government encouraging more childcare initiates to support working parenting during school holidays etc. I would also apply the same train of through to 9am-5pm hours or in the case of my workplace 8:30am to 5pm and beyond which is a nightmare for school run etc.

Sadly I have a child who struggles with anxiety and will not go to any holiday clubs. Grandparents who are retired do not live locally and other grandparents work so very limited help in way of childcare from family.

Sadly I do not work in a corporate job but the nature of what I do means I can’t just clock off at 5pm and go home. It’s an expectation in the line of work I do. I enjoy it but it can feel very thankless and is not family friendly. However, I have spent a lot of time to training to do what I do and couldn’t give my career up now.

Sorry to hear the reasons why your working pattern has changed but lovely you have been able to spend more time with your children. I bet they have loved having you around more too.

I can only speak from my personal experience but I don't work and I've just survived 9 long weeks solo parenting 2 DC with SEN with zero childcare/support and I would've loved to have been able to escape at points to a job where I could have adult conversations and let somebody else be responsible for a few hours for keeping the DC alive!
I don't think it comes down to working FT, PT or not at all, I think it comes down to your personal circumstances, finances, support, etc. We've had great craic over the last 9 weeks, some really great days and amazing memories made but it's certainly not been all good or indeed all bad

I do feel more regular breaks throughout the year would be easier to manage to be honest. However, ultimately employers need to offer flexible working as standard in school holidays and annual leave needs to be more generous.

This is an excellent perspective and I agree with all you have said- it really is down to personal circumstances.

Who knows though if I'd been working maybe I'd have had the stress of not being with them instead of the stress of always being with them 🤷🏼‍♀️ I'm not exaggerating either when I frame it as keeping them alive especially the younger one 🥴😂🫣😂 at least its over now (for me anyway as they are now back at school) and its another year before we have to face a holiday as long again!

Sounds like you could do with a holiday now! That doesn’t sound easy 🤗

Is parenting any child easy? But yes a holiday would be amazing....off to buy a lottery ticket 😂
Hopefully the challenges you've faced this year with the long break will help you prepare for an easier time next summer. Plus your DC will be a year older so a years worth of growing independence and learning to do more things for themselves will maybe make it less of a challenge too? Or at least give you new challenges just to shake it up and keep you on your toes!
If its not quite over for you yet you must only have a day or so left so stay strong they are almost back at school 💪🏻 if they are already back then collapse on the sofa with a vodka and coke and congratulate yourself on surviving!

I find it hilarious that do many adults I know, all ages, say that 'Six weeks is too long' or 'there's too many school holidays' I'm damn sure none of them would have changed things when they were at school!

There's no way I'd advocate children having a measly 4 week holiday entitlement like UK working adults have. What sort of childhood would that be?
I juggle the school holidays the best I can, co-parenting (both work full time), I take more holidays in the six weeks than I do in the colder months, but I bloody enjoy the six week hols, loads of great days and memories, just gutted I go back to work tomorrow!

I've really enjoyed the summer holidays as a sahm of a 7yo and 3yo. I've not had much of a break although the older one has done fun activity camps for certain weeks, but I've almost always had the younger one with me. We've had some fun days out, there are always lots of places to visit and activities happening, we have a decent budget for trips out, and the weather's been mostly good. We don't have wider family support but DH is an equal parent and shares the load when he's home. The house is absolute chaos though and I have a backlog of things that I haven't been able to get done with no childcare, so I'm looking forward to them being back at school/pre-school!

Good question! I'm not sure.

Imagine if you had 12 weeks! I think it’s hard for working parents no doubt about it but really important for the kids! Just society has not evolved in a conducive way to raise children.

I'm a SAHM to teens, 17 and 15, and I think it would be better to spread the holidays out more during the year. We had a lovely holiday and they caught up with friends etc but they could have had a week less easily and had an extra week during the year. Some of the terms seem so long!

I think it just depends on the person doesn't it. I have working mum friends and SAHM mum friends, some enjoy the holidays, some don't. I'm a SAHM and I love the holidays, I'm so sad they have to go back to school 😭

It depends on what kind of work. I’m part time which in theory should make life easier, but I work nights and then have to look after 3 children on no sleep. We have no family nearby, no childcare and have no extra funds for expensive holiday clubs. So yes, I’m grateful I don’t have to juggle childcare being full time, but it’s no fun surviving on no sleep and trying to be a half decent parent!

I sympathise OP, however I don't agree that the holidays are too long - remember that school is primarily for education, not childcare.

I work full time (as does DH) and I LOVE the school summer holidays!
I'm absolutely gutted today is the last day 😢 I do have generous annual leave and flexi though, and also work compressed hours so during the 6 weeks I have every Monday off, we were away 1st week, and last 2 weeks. I had about 6 other days off across the other 3wks and grandparents helped out the other days.