What does everyone do?

[TheMiMit]

I'm about to start a new teaching job which won't coincide at all with DS 8's holidays (DS is in independent school and I work in state sectorl). All the holiday childcare options only run in state school holidays. What do people do to cover the holiday period outside of 'normal' holidays when you are still working? (DH is also a teacher in state sector so annual leave not an option for him).

*sector

Holiday nanny?

Some childminders can be flexible about this stuff?

Our local outdoor pursuits centre offer childcare during school term and emergency childcare in the event of school closures so it's worth asking around. Some private nurseries do childcare holiday schemes for up to 11yr olds too and may be able to take your child outside the standard holidays.

Friends, relatives, does the school not run holiday clubs?, paid childcare such as baby sitter/nanny etc. Probably the easiest one, send your child to state school then you will have all holidays covered.

Private schools with weird terms usually run their own clubs, here they run whenever state school is still in session

Holiday club.

Several providers run them at different local schools- your child doesn't have to attend the school to go to them.

Most are open 8-6 although some are a bit shorter hours

@moochingtothepub

Private schools with weird terms usually run their own clubs, here they run whenever state school is still in session

Sadly not here...

That's a shame- all our local independent schools run holiday clubs during their holidays.

Honestly? I would send him to a state school in the same local authority as the one either you or your DH teach in (so the holidays will match up). You are literally going to save yourself hundreds of thousands of pounds and a whole lot of hassle.

We used grandparents/holiday club and swapped days with another parent

@PotteringAlong

Honestly? I would send him to a state school in the same local authority as the one either you or your DH teach in (so the holidays will match up). You are literally going to save yourself hundreds of thousands of pounds and a whole lot of hassle.

I think that would be fair if he was just starting school but not at eight.

I would probably look into an au pair.

@TheMiMit

Then I would speak to his school and explain you cannot find childcare for the holidays, you can't be the only one struggling. Here the private schools finish a week earlier, go back a week later and the schools do cover those weeks because they know the parents work - it must be a super posh school if they assume everyone has nannies!

I know MN always insist that lots of children who go to private school are from ordinary families who scrape and struggle to send them but to be honest if you (general you, not specific to you OP) can afford around £9000 per year then it’s fair to assume you can outsource childcare.

OP - If your son's school and the other local private schools don't run holiday clubs then it's going to be a case of hiring a childminder or nanny or seeing if there is any way you can make an arrangement with some of the other parents regarding holiday cover. My DD goes to a school where the holidays differ to most state schools and we'll have her best friend for one day and they'll take our DD on a different day etc.

Independents around here also all offer holiday clubs that cover the different/longer holiday dates.

Most don't just take their own pupils so is there another independent school nearby that might run a holiday club?

Or an au-pair, although with Covid travel restrictions that might be more difficult this year. So maybe a university student looking for holiday work.

Try and get a job in his school so that you get the associated reduction in fees, otherwise you'll probably need to get a temp nanny. There are no au pairs at the moment!

So none of your or your partners non-contact days do not coincide with your sons school holidays? They may differ here and there, but I struggle to believe none coincide.

Childminders often have spaces for older children, you can also look into short contract nannies.

I would ask around his friends to see if any parents would like to share childcare, you're in a good position to help during the state school holidays - maybe you could care for one of his friends for a couple of weeks during the state holidays in return for them having your son when you are at work.
We have previously used a student home from uni for the holidays to help with childcare - worked really well when our dc were at an age where they were feeling a bit too grown up for holiday clubs but too young to be left all day.

Holiday clubs run by the school with weird holidays, local holiday clubs for the weeks that overlap, partner takes holidays/parental leave, friends, local childcare facilities, childminder, nanny, au pair, family stay for a while, or child stays with them. Or ultimately if it doesnt work then either change job (or your partner does) or change your child's school.

This is the problem all working parents have, it's not an odd one because of weird school hols.
I work shifts, it's a nightmare to get reliable decent childcare to cover in term time, never mind holidays. It's even worse since Covid as many of the paid options have gone following closure in the first lockdown.

She didn’t say at any point none coincided simon

Independent schools have longer holidays. So let’s say op and her husband finish on July 21st and ds school finishes July 1 that’s obviously three weeks he needs childcare or some sort.

I was an administrator for two large nurseries but couldn't do both that job efficiently AND look after three young kids so had to give it up this year. No regrets.