Is it stressful getting childcare for school holidays?

[RainbowFlowers]

I've got a 3 year old and one on the way. We don't have family who can look after them who live in the country. I find myself worrying about how I'm going to find childcare for all the school holidays...even though it's over a year away!

Is it a case of having to find different clubs etc everytime a holiday comes round?...Or are there options that people use for the whole year?

Depends where you live.
Christmas holidays are always very tricky - most clubs don’t operate then.
For us we had a tried and tested reliable one during their primary school years but it needed booking way in advance, so every holiday needed meticulous planning with DH to see who could do what and which days needed booking for the out of school club.
Childminders make life a lot easier in this respect.

Holiday clubs are a godsend. My daughters nursery do holiday care too up until the age of 11.

DD is 5, the private nursery that she went to before starting school does holiday care for children up to 6 years old so we use them at the moment.

It is a bit tricky as at this age she wouldn't be happy going to a completely new place for just a few weeks but she is outgrowing the nursery environment.

Next year will be interesting as we will have to try a new holiday club and hope for the best. My other thought is to use parental unpaid leave to take a 4 week block over the summer holidays then use all my and DHs annual leave to cover the rest, but that will be really tight and may not cover it all.

I find it stressful because the holiday clubs don't run as long as breakfast and after school club do. Or they don't around me anyway.

So in term time I've got 8-5.30 covered which is enough time for a work day but the holidays I can only find 9-5. That said I've always been lucky and managed to either find friends or family who will cover the short fall or used holiday time. Work have been reasonable and allowed me to work time back of necessary too. You'll make it work when it comes to it.

When looking at schools, also consider ones that run holiday clubs.

I found year 7/8 most stressful. Not quite old enough to be left all day but too old for holiday clubs.

Christmas is an absolute nightmare. There aren't any holiday clubs around me so the last 2 years I've booked it off. I'm doing the same this year but it does mean I use 2 weeks of holiday then which always feels like loads. I'm lucky that my work becomes very quiet during december so getting the time isn't much of an issue. I worry that it'll cause resentment from colleagues if I have to keep doing it though.

you also won’t be the only working parent so if you get friendly with some once at school you maybe able to do some swaps. We often have someone else’s kids for a few days and then they have ours. We get through with that and holiday clubs

Stressful no. Costly yes.

There's tons of clubs where I live. Lots of choice.

Although a lot run 9-3 rather than 8-6.

Most cost £25 to £30 a day and you have to provide a packed lunch.

I had a childminder who did holidays and before/after school care. We pre-agreed days. I worked either 3 or 4 days a week and would always take one.day a week off during holidays.

Look forward to a fair few years of ‘The juggle’ - where somehow you make it work without selling a kidney.

If you don’t have family around it’s bloody hard. Maybe speak to a friend in same position and share out the time?

Mine are 15 and almost 14 now and it is SO much easier (they don’t even know I’m not there until lunchtime at the earliest!)

My children’s old nursery also dies breakfast and afterschool club and holiday club all holidays. Will also do random inset days.

That’s up to end of year six .

*does

My ds 7 goes to holiday club. Run by different company from who run his breakfast/after club. Term time I can have care 0730-6pm week days inc school and holiday club runs 8-6. Its closed for most of the xmas holidays though.

Wow thanks everyone. I work self employed so begrudge taking time off but it naturally goes quiet at Christmas anyway so looks like I'll just not work over Xmas at all, so that's at least one period that I can plan for.

Ideally I'll use friends and just do swaps. Husband works full time employed so maybe he can cover most the summer holidays.

I never thought of checking nurseries for child care!

I'm a childminder and work school holidays and inset days.

Am always full!

I found reception hardest as my summer born child wasn't accepted at some places for more than 4 hours a day until he was 5.. A strange rule considering they are already at school.. The ones that did were more expensive.
Personally I find 2 holidays hard... Christmas as many options are closed and the summer holidays just because it's so long so expensive plus they want variety so can't put them in one place.... I have a detailed spreadsheet... Locations, if need lunch, payments, times, who drops odd, who picks up etc

*I find it stressful because the holiday clubs don't run as long as breakfast and after school club do. Or they don't around me anyway.

So in term time I've got 8-5.30 covered which is enough time for a work day but the holidays I can only find 9-5*

This. Except holiday childcare here is 9-3:30. It's a complete nightmare. I think it's because we are in an affluent area with lots of mums who don't work and just use holiday clubs for fun rather than because they actually need them.