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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think total lack of childcare just before xmas day is ridiculous?

63 replies

littlestmummystop · 01/12/2008 17:05

My dd's school shuts on Dec 19.
I work till Xmas eve.
Most of her usual play schemes are shut from Dec 19 and I am having to ring around begging and calling in favours to find someone to look after her.

AIBU to think there are loads of parents who work up till xmas eve ???

OP posts:
ChristmasCakeYerbouti · 01/12/2008 17:07

YANBU

I am lucky because my childminder will have mine, but can imagine it's a nightmare when they are school age

HeadFairy · 01/12/2008 17:07

I've had to take annual leave as my cm closes from 22nd Dec to 6th Jan and i'm expected to work all through Christmas. As it is, I'm working at the weekends and I've taken a few days leave as well. It's hard but I think everyone has to work round it.

HeadFairy · 01/12/2008 17:08

I'm roping in my mum and sister to help, can you get some help from friends or family littlestmummystop?

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 01/12/2008 17:09

Some people work on Christmas Day (and other national holidays.) What do they do for childcare?

StewieGriffinsMom · 01/12/2008 17:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

peacelily · 01/12/2008 17:15

We pay nursery fees for a whole year but they aren't reduced over the 2 week holiday period so I either have to take AL to cover (I'm a CAMHS senior practitioner so these are classed as working days and someone in the team has to be on-call every day) it or my dh has to have days off, he's a contractor and only gets paid for the days he goes in. So we lose money whilst they gain angry]

Work colleagues ok about it esp. as I'm on-call NYE this year but can't keep having AL for most of the time each year, it's unfair.

God knows what we would do if I was still on the wards (and working holidays too). Really bugs me. YANBU!!!!!!!!!

HeadFairy · 01/12/2008 17:17

I normally work Christmas day oldlady, this is the first year I've had a ds to deal with (well last year I was on mat leave) so I had a contingency plan that dh would take ds to my mum and dad's on Christmas morning while I went to work and then I'd join them later in the evening. Thank God I managed to get leave

worley · 01/12/2008 17:28

my ds2's nursery is closing xmas day, boxing day adn new years eve. but open normal hours for the rest of the xmassy time. my ds1'a nursery used to close on the 23rd dec and open on the 2nd jan which was a pain.

im working boxing day (nhs doesnt close!) and have to find childcare as dp also has to work. we both will get next year off as weve worked 2 years in a row

Picante · 01/12/2008 17:29

Um.. cms do take school age children.

flixx · 01/12/2008 17:32

yabu. Child care providers are entitled to time off you know. They might have their own DC too and you can't expect the whole world to revolve around you! Use you annual leave!

elliott · 01/12/2008 17:34

Yes its a pain that pretty much all holiday clubs close down over christmas (we have none for the whole 2 week christmas holiday). they are also closed for the whole august bank holiday week.
HOWEVER, I don't think you've got much excuse for not knowing until now, and planning your annual leave accordingly!
I am taking annual leave for the mon-wed, fortunately I have a work shut down from then until the 5th.
I'm afraid YAB a bit U.
Plus its also a nice time to be off with your kids - build up to christmas and all that.

Anna8888 · 01/12/2008 17:39

Can't you find a nice teen/A-level student who would like to earn some extra cash and escape visiting relatives over the holidays?

My neighbour begs me for babysitting jobs for DD

piscesmoon · 01/12/2008 17:48

It is hardly surprising that play schemes don't operate-I expect the people who run them are busy preparing for Christmas or have their own DCs. Schools are nothing to do with babysitting. I expect that a lot of teenagers/students would be happy to earn extra cash babysitting-my DS would.

clayre · 01/12/2008 17:48

i am on the receiving end of this being a SAHM, friends and family think that because i dont work i can take there kids so they dont have to take time off work,

ChoChoSan · 01/12/2008 17:50

Nurseries don't make extra money just because they close down at Xmas - they have to pay their staff holidays, you know, so the fees will be averaged out over the year.

With the high ratio of staff to children I expect it's hard to find holiday cover whenever people go off on hols, so a wholesale close down probably benefits everyone...and means that the little ones don't have their key carers disappearing off on hols for weeks.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 01/12/2008 17:51

Clayre why not say no?

Genuine q, just because you are a sahm it does not automatically put you at others' beck and call.

AnyFuckerForAMincePie · 01/12/2008 17:52

sometimes it is just not possible take annual leave eg. for that mon-weds of xmas week, because it is at such a premium ie. everybody wants it off

those few days will be soooo busy (I work in acute NHS services) so we cannot run on a skeleton staff

not everybody who wants/needs AL can have it

mylittlemousie · 01/12/2008 17:53

I am working the whole lot this year (12 hour shifts on the 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th) - fortunately my ex caved in and agreed to do Christmas. Has been grim to think about and will be worse to think about. The problem with leave is, not everyone can have leave, and people who are childless want it as well. Guess there is no easy answer.

pramspotter · 01/12/2008 17:54

I am working December 24, 25, 25. DH is working December 24th and 26th. We have 3 children and no family nearby. We are both in jobs where we are forbidden from taking annual leave over the Christmas holidays.

One word: fucked.

catweazle · 01/12/2008 17:57

My DD's nursery closes at 1pm Xmas Eve and opens on Jan 5th. I usually (have to) work in the gap between Xmas and NY but I booked annual leave as soon as I found out. I'm lucky there is enough cover because DH isn't allowed any time off except Xmas Day and NY day.

pramspotter · 01/12/2008 17:59

Just to add that most healthcare staff in acute services are not allowed to take AL the week of christmas.

The hospital I trained in had childcare for staff over the holidays. I just assumed they all did. Then I became acquainted with the NHS.

clayre · 01/12/2008 18:04

i do say no, or at least reach a compromise.

the other day my neice told me she and her sister are comingfor a sleepover after xmas, ie for when sil goes back to college, she must have told the kids first so they would mention it to me thinking i wouldnt be able to say no!

BoysAreLikeDogs · 01/12/2008 18:08

You rock, clayre

ruddynorah · 01/12/2008 18:09

difficult isn't it? i work evenings and dh works days so it isn't a problem here thank god. i'm in retail so no way can i have annual leave over christmas. thankfully dh is in the police so can take his leave whenever, no peak time for his line of work.

TigerFeet · 01/12/2008 18:11

pramspotter - dh and I have been in that position for the past few years. The only thing we could do was get relatives over to stay for the whole Christmas period so that there is someone there to look after dd. Not ideal when we like quiet family CHristmasses, but we had no choice. Last year the inlaws came over for a few days over Christmas then my Mum came over for New Year.

I suppose that most childcare providers, like most other people, prefer to have the whole Christmas period off. Unfortunately there isn't much that any of us can do about it. I know that if I had a choice, I wouldn't work it either, so I try not to get annoyed that others' holidays inconvenience me. Bloody difficult at times though.

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