Returning to work - help with school holiday cover!

[smurchie]

Hi, first time on the board, so glad I found you all! Im a mum of 3 (2 at infant, 1 at Juniors - up to Senior next Sept).

Ive been an at home mum for the last 5 years but have a great opportunity to go back to work which I want to grab with both hands. However, although I think Im covered with the school run (after school club and family) what concerns me is the main 6 week summer holiday. What do people do during this time, any recommends? Holiday club is very expensive for 3 children a day. I can take off a couple of weeks holiday myself but what do people think of other options?...and what are they? Many thanks everyone. )

Hi im a nanny.
Some people get temp nannies for holiday cover. you can get cover for as short or as long as you need.
You can post on here or other sites like this (eg...netmums, nannyjobs, nannynet, families online) or go through an agency.
Hope this helps

What about contacting your local college and seeing if you can get someone that's doing a childcare course. I think they must have a long summer holidays like the schools.

Obviously they will have limited experience, but they will be 1 year into a course and hopefully you can find one that has lots of babysitting experience.

I have always used nursery/childminder and have never had school holiday issue so far. But from January plan to go with just before and after school club. I work 3 full days.

Options I plan to use are:
send to grandparents for a couple of days
my holidays
DH's holidays
do a swap with a friend (ie I look after her two one day and she looks after my two one day)
buy an extra week's holiday (is an option at my work that I always take)

Any that can't be covered this way, they will have to go to some sort of holiday club.

Are you going to be full time? Because if part time you could maybe work a bit extra beginning of July to help cover the school hols at the end of July. Then follow my options.

I put an ad on gumtree and employed a student teacher as a temp nanny for the last couple of summer hols..and now it looks like we are going to employ her sister (who is doing a 'youth work' type degree) for the next lot

Good idea Millarkie

Some childminders (like me!!) will offer childcare for school holidays only, although this will also probably not be your cheapest option if you have 3 children.

i use a combination of

holiday playscheme ( at my sons school,he already uses their after school club and loves it!)
childminder
mine and hubbys holidays

sorry meant to add that yes it will be expensive for 3 children

and you may not make much money during that time! but if you have no other option ........

what some people do is work out how much the holiday childcare will cost ( over the whole year)and split it between the weeks and save a certain amount each week

so you are not having to find / pay a huge lump sum at every school holiday

Thank you for all the replies, I particularly like the idea of contacting the local colleges. Im not looking for cheap labour but "reasonable labour" would be good with 3 of them to pay for.

Yes, I am going back full time 5 days a week, I had a thought that I might even ask mum-in-law and offer to pay her which might be a bit of an incentive.

Really appreciate all responses, given me lots to think about. S.x