Term time care: how do you cover the hols?

[philbee]

Lovely local CM has said she can take DD2 when I go back to work two days a week next year. She is term time only and I am planning to cover school hols (when DD1 will also be off) with annual leave, flexi leave and my parents taking them about 5 times a year. So I guess we'd be looking to cover 16 days a year between us with leave, assuming 13 weeks hols. That should leave enough for some time off together and odd days for child / childminder illness.

I really want to use the CM as I know her and know she'd look after DD2 well but am worried there's something I haven't considered with the holiday set up. How do others cover school hols? Is it actually doable like this?

Dh is a teacher. Have no idea how we'd do it and actually have time for a family holiday all together otherwise.

I don't know anyone who uses term term care who isn't a teacher (or their DP is).

Ours aren't old enough yet, but there are loads of holiday clubs run round here, particually over the summer, which might give you another week or two of childcare.

But what do people who have DCs at school do, pseudobadger? Do they go to holiday clubs? I think we can cope with it as we'd need 26 days planned cover a year, and grandparents would do about 10 of those so we should be able to cover the rest out of leave and flexi. Holiday clubs would be good for DD1 one day a week I think, but I'm not sure she'd want to go much more than that.

I did what you are planning and it was brilliant. It allowed flexibility and variety which worked well for all of us and I think was nicer for dc than having the same routine every week through holidays. I also did some swaps with friends who also work which covered probably 3 days a year.

You also have to take into account what you will do if your Childminder takes holiday, or goes sick during termtime.

I do mind children in the holidays, but some of them have occasional weeks off to do holiday clubs with their friends.

When will you take your family holiday, if each of you is taking holiday at different times?

Is there another CM who would take them for adhoc holiday days? or who could let you know when she has space, because another mindee has gone away on holiday?

Thanks all, will have a good think. Glad to hear it worked well for you mutley, that's encouraging. :)

I now do term time only - with maybe a few days in the holidays to be helpful, but not a lot. Whilst most families have at least one teacher parent or one in education, others have used family/friends (e.g trading childcare days with mates/sisters or using grandparents) or have used a variety of holiday clubs, then there's cub/brownie/scout etc camp weeks. I think a lot of families would rather have the challenge of finding childcare for a week or two when they can't cover it themselves than pay for a lot of weeks when they would prefer the children to be doing other things with family and friends.

Holiday club at DS's school covers 8.30 -5pm for five weeks of the holiday, rest is taken up by using annual leave. Perfectly easy to manage if you plan the holidays well and make sure you know what holiday clubs are available in your area

DH works in a family owned business, he has one agreed day off to mind DC3 (Thursday). He usually also has Mondays off and about alternate Fridays.

I have booked DS and DD1 into holiday club 2 days per week and asked or DH to have all Fridays (daytime) off o cover the holidays.

My 5yo DS goes to holiday club 9 weeks out of 13 weeks of school holidays. The rest of the time the holiday club is closed (Christmas and 2 last weeks in August) and so I have to take time off.
DH and I both work full time and we have no relatives around, so the holiday club is a saver.

I am a childminder who cares mainly for school age children. As they have got older I do less and less days in the holidays because the holidays clubs are so good now that I can't really compete with them in terms of activities offered and value for money.

But it sounds like a mixture of clubs, grandparents, parents and childcare would be the most flexible option.

I am a CM.

I have term time only kids, (parents are teachers) and i have holiday only kids. (usually older from my DD's school)

I haven't heard of a CM working TT only.

I make most of my money in the school holidays, although i do take a week off then and a fortnight at Christmas.

before i became a CM i found that one day a week DD would go to another parent and then i would have both kids on my day off (effectively doubling the number of days off i had) but i found this unsuitable because it meant i never had a day off during the holidays alone with my dd.

Now she is older its not so important that we are alone and we have lots of days alone and lots of hectic days. i find that Mondays and Tues are DD and me and Thurs and Fri are hectic. Weds vary.

I think find a cm who works all year round. It sounds hellishly complicated otherwise, and most cm work all year round.

I think you will struggle to make arrangements and juggle if your CM is term time only. This would work if you have parents or somebody nearby to do the holiday cover but if not I can't see how it could work very well. But if your area has children's holiday clubs for most of the holidays then it could work. It depends on what is available.