Six weeks School Holidays way too long.

[Hoper2]

Six Weeks School Holidays is too long to be off School.

Different counties having different holidays would be a real pain.

Many teachers and TAs work in different counties (even in just adjoining) to their own children so they'd have mismatched holidays. Teachers can't take holidays at other times obviously so does that mean they should miss out altogether?

Also what about holidays with family or friends - they are often scattered all other the country. Again these would be affected.

I also do t think expensive school holidays would be avoided. The holiday companies would adjust their prices accordingly. They already do - since some schools started having slightly different half terms (some have two weeks) or longer Easter the holiday prices have reflected this.

Dd is at an independent school and gets an extra week at Christmas, Easter and the summer. But often the prices are already raised for those extra weeks. The holiday companies know the dates and adjust their prices accordingly. They're not daft!

Maybe I just have children who like the routine of school but we are already 5 weeks in And today I have had enough . Neither want to go anywhere they just want up sit on the computer or watch TV , difficult to turn off router because I need to pick up work emails.

Neither wants to see friends ( too much effort ) and both a bit shy so the lack if constant school contacts results in regression confidence wise .
We have lots planned for next week but I am running out of ideas , the thing is given the choice I would stay home and knit , I don't want to be constant ferrying them about and trying to think of new and exciting activities . It's always like this , ds3 in particular needs to go back to school.Its like pushing the proverbial elephant up the stairs

Clearly there are a lot of SAHM's on this thread.

As a single, working Mum, the 5 weeks my DS gets is plenty. I take 1 week off and so does his Dad, but it's still 3 weeks at childminders at £200 a week.

Longer holidays would not make any difference to me in terms of cheaper holidays. Let's say an extra 3 weeks - that would mean an extra £600, so would rule out a holiday anyway.

Dreading senior school, as the school he will probably go to will mean 9 weeks and he will be too young to stay at home on his own.

I love the holidays I work p/t late shifts so no early mornings for 6 weeks, I love my days off in the holidays but as I only have a few hours childcare to cover its easy, however one of my friends who works fulltime think they should just have the same 4/5 weeks off that you get off work and thats per YEAR not just summer!
I imagine that its the difficulties with childcare people object to not the children having holiday time.

Oh dear - did the op Flounce?

I was just saying to DD that the 6 weeks is going to quickly.

DD is G&T and I can't wait to spend 9 weeks with her after she takes her GCSEs next year.

My DS is going to be getting a job after his GCSes next year. No arguments.

We have a low income as well but we love the summer holidays. We've been to the park, they have been playing out, going to friend's houses, we used Clubcard vouchers to go to Alton Towers at the start of the holidays and we went camping for a week.
Usually it only seems to be 5 weeks, I wish it was 6 like it used to be.

Not long enough. I'd have DD home everyday if I could.

It is difficult when money is tight. Younger children are happy with country parks/local parks/arts and crafts. Older children prefer to do activities that cost - cinema/skating/theme parks.

We have no holidays planned and I feel a little guilty. My dc are having fun at country parks, the beach etc. We take a packed lunch everywhere and spend a few pounds on each day.

Agreed there must be lots of SAHMs on here, I do love my days at home with the kids in the holidays but covering the holidays is a pain.

DH and I are both really busy at work so on the days one of us is at home the other always works late, and I've worked every weekend of the holidays to make up the time I'm losing during the week because I've taken annual leave to cover the childcare. DD2 is only just 5 so I didn't want to put her in loads of holiday clubs just yet, they went to one week of a fab sports week but it was school hours so I still had to take some annual leave to do the drop off and pick up. As they get older we'll use more clubs but it's such a juggling act when you work and we don't have any handy grandparents to help out.

No it's too short (for teachers!)

I don't think 6 weeks is too long. i just wish the childcare wasn't so expensive! I'm only allowed to take two weeks off work during the holidays so 4 weeks of childcare fees is too much imo! Leaves me with nothing left for a holiday or even many day trips in my two weeks off, need to rely on nice weather for trips to the park or just rainy days in playing board games and drawing/writing stories!

We are in our final week of 6 and I could happily have sent ds3 (8) back last week. The older two are fine and do their own thing and would love longer but ds3 seems to need so much entertaining. I haven't been well and don't have a lot of energy. By the time we have been swimming for an hour and a half and the same at the park I'm ready to sleep and he's just getting going. I don't have anyone help with him either. We have been making loom bands, gardening and baking but that doesn't occupy him for long.

Oh dear - did the op Flounce?

Seems so. I gather regular posters couldn't understand that the summer holidays are so much harder for the OP because their child is gifted.

Yes, its so hard for me to understand what it must be like to have an intelligent child

My gifted child would spend the whole holidays in her room watching Towie on Netflix if I let her. Not hard to entertain at all.

Not long enough! By the time we catch up with family we have 5 days holiday as a family and the children have 4 days left to chill out before back to school and see friends. Not long enough when family not living nearby.

I am a teacher and I live for this holiday, it makes my otherwise very stressful, undervalued, highly accountable job all worthwhile! .......waiting for the hate messages to come through.....

Teachers earn every minute of the summer holidays, as do the children. Everyone needs a rest. The top performing private schools get even longer so it must be ok education-wise.
:)

I am a primary school teacher and I live for this break, it makes my highly stressful, undervalued job worthwhile and as the mum of one highly gifted child we love mostly staying at home, shopping and sorting out all the things we never have to do during term time as I mostly get home after 7pm!

Thankyou KEEPCALM! Though my last message hadn't posted!!! Taking your advice and drinking wine!!! That's another thing, I can drink loads of wine on a weekday with no worries! I love the summer holidays xxxxx

We H.ed too and I enjoy spending time with my dd, we are lucky to be able to do this, I love it, she loves it and its the best life in the world for us.
I am aware that some people are struggling to entertain their children for many reasons such as being bloody skint, not having a garden, not being close to amenities and several dc to look after.
I am aware that some people will lose a lot of their income because they have childcare to pay for during the holidays.
For others there may be personal reasons including bereavement or recent separation when the dc being at school is their time to breathe, cry, or even just to take time out for themselves.
I like to think Mnet has allowed me to empathise.
We have no idea what its like for others and a G&T child can be particularly difficult to manage at times too.