What do working parents do with their children during school holidays?

[jocesar]

Hello

My DS is just coming up 3 and I've just realised he'll be in school next year. I have no idea how working parents cope with school holidays. What happens to the children? Will one of us need to give up work? Surely not? What are our options?

Thanks

[Guitargirl]

DP and I take holiday separately, I work from home more (which means working at night more when DCs are in bed). Our childminder does some extra. As long as it is planned well in advance it will work out.

[CMOTdibbler]

We chose a school based on our childcare needs - wrap around 8-6 in term time, and holiday club every holiday (inc half terms) with a variety of options within that. We have no family help, so its essential. And ds loves holiday club - apparently its all the best of school with no work. He complained that he was with us this week..

[indiechick]

We are covering 10 weeks of the holidays this year with annual leave plus 1 week at the work play scheme and two weeks at Barracudas (hideously expensive, but they get to swim every day). Previous years we've done similar things, used the council play scheme, one year had a summer nanny (that was bliss - but too expensive to continue past four weeks). It takes a lot of organisation and planning but I think dd1 is enjoying it. Nursery is way easier, open 50 weeks a year, although she's only going for 40 weeks.

[ceebeegeebies]

What everyone else has suggested - anything you can find tbh.

DS1 started school in September and so far me and DH have covered all the holidays between us using annual leave which we will continue to do - however, there will be about 4 weeks during the summer hols that we cannot do so my parents are having him for 1 week (although I am a bit scared about this as he has never stayed there before!) and holiday club at school for the other 3.

The downside to this is that me and DH will only get 1 week on holiday together all year which is crap but needs must.

[brightermornings]

I use holiday club, gp's and annual leave. Also me and my cousin look after each others dc's when we can ,she's had my ds for three days this week I will look after her dc's when I'm off next. It's a lot of juggling but you manage.

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

I work 4 days a week. The childcare during holidays is shared between xp and my mum. The dc aren't keen on the arrangement, as my mum is stricter than me, and xp does nothing with them, but needs must.

I worked last week and have this week off. Luckily I get bank holidays off too, so have a few extra days coming up.

I have 2 weeks off booked for the summer hols, but I think I will have to arange some sort of holiday club for at least one of the 4 weeks I am working because otherwise I will have unhappy kids and an unhappy grandma I think.

[PanicOnTheStreetsOfLondon]

Mix of grandparents, holiday clubs and annual leave. Holidays aren't so bad it's the days they are unexpectedly ill which throw us.

It's tough.

[MavisEnderby]

mine go to a childminder.(am only pt though)

[Clary]

This is a pernenniel question OP and I am afraid there is no easy answer.

What we used to do was this:

Both DH and I worked 4 days a week, so only the 3 days we were both at work needed cover.

We juggled holidays - I would go in to work on his day off, saving a day - worked Bank Holidays to accrue leave etc. Thus we would cover about 4 wks of summer and most of Easter/Christmas (lots of bank hols/odd days off).

The rest of the time would be a mishmash of friends sharing ("I'll have them all Friday if you have them all Tuesday"), Gran, Grandma, council sports clubs (v cheap), playgroup playscheme (v local), even my brother. In extremis we could box and cox a day (we worked in the same office).

This or something like it is what most people do IME; six weeks of childcare would cost a bomb.

BTW I use the past tense as I now work in a school huzzah!

[dixiechick1975]

You need to keep your eyes peeled and note down anything for future reference. A lot seems word of mouth aswell.

If he starts any activities then they may offer holiday care eg DD's ballet school runs a summer school 9-3 for £75 a week. Football clubs seem to offer the same deal.

Her school runs a 4 week summer school £20 a day.

Staggaring leave between you and DH. We are going away Oct not summer as school offers childcare in the summer hols only so a waste to go away then when childcare is available.

Grandparents. Even if they are not up to full time care they could may be drop and pick up at a summer scheme - our council runs activities for 2/3 hours a day, no use for working mums but that plus granny could work. Details in local leisure centres.

Childminder. My frind sometimes pays a mum (reg childminder) at school £20
a day - her son just thinks he is playing with his friend.

You will make contacts when he starts school so may be able to share with another parent eg if you have their child one day they have yours so you don't need to use a full weeks leave.

Speak to employer abour compressed hours - i'm hoping to do my 25 hours in 4 days over the hols. Under 5 you have the right to take unpaid leave some companies extend this to all employees.

As they get older activity residential holidays/guide camp etc.

[OkeeDoeKee]

We use a combination of Grandparents, holiday schemes and annual leave.

Just when you think you've got it all sussed they turn 11 and then you're really stuck as there doesn't seem to be anything for children that age especially if they're not sporty. I also think 11 is too young to be leaving them on their own when the reality is he would be on his own for 9 hours minimum.

[BellsaRinging]

I was a single working mum til last year. We used a variety of holiday clubs, and ds loved them. He's now 6, and even though I'm on maternity leave wants to go to a holiday club! Don't know where you are, but we have used King's Camps, although they don't take kids full time til they're five. Other than that there are clubs at the local schools. If your school doesn't have one one of the local schools will probably run one you can use. Also, alot of gyms run activity weeks. And you can presumably use paid holiday from work as well? I did consider childminders too, but ds is quite sporty and likes the chance to do a variety of different stuff that he usually wouldn't experience.

[LynetteScavo]

If you look around there are holiday clubs operating over holidays which working parents can use. Which are fantastic if you have a sociable child. DS1 would have crashed and burned somewhere like that when he was little. I would have had to find a child minder for him.

Most holiday clubs only take DC up to the age of 11, though. I have no idea what I would have done with him now he is 12.

[IngridBergman]

I'm worried about this too but have a little time to figure it out. What do you do if you're single and can't afford to take unpaid leave or to pay a childminder/for playschemes etc?

I guess you have to find a job/employer that is very flexible. If anyone has any suggestions I'd be really grateful.

[MollieO]

I took unpaid parental leave. The fun started when Ds turned five and meant I was no longer eligible for leave. Ds goes to holiday clubs most days. Lots of his friends go too. Sometimes it is at his own school which makes me feel particularly guilty (as if he is at school even in the holidays) but he loves it. Once they get a bit older the choice of clubs grows too.

[rickymummy]

Holiday clubs - just about to drop DS1 at his now. He loves it.

I worried until I started to look into it, but childcare does fall inot place. Quite a few alternatives out there.

[Frawli]

I am planning to try and work term times once both my children are in school. If your child is under 6 or so you can ask for flexible working, I don't work in a school but so many people take leave to cover childcare at school holiday times that it would probably not be a problem in my work, you generally have to arrange things around the hols.

[WideWebWitch]

We manage with a combination of:

Dh gets 36 days holiday (I got 35 in my last perm job but am a contractor so take what I need)

Paying a nanny

Some family help (not much, we mostly pay hundreds a week but there's the odd week where mil comes)

It is a pita, it's something like 18 weeks of holiday all together.

[compo]

We have holiday club attached to the school
£20 a day, 8-6pm
grandparents have kids one week of summer holidays
me and dh take it in turns to take leave
I also changed my hours and job so I could work weekends
we don't have much family time though which is pants

[nannyl]

Do you / your DC have any extra special friends where the mum works too.

Maybe you could have their DC for a day or 2 a week, (when they work) then your DC could go to them while you work.

Not ideal for whole holidays, but cant see why a day or 2 per half term / holiday could not benifit all of you.

Just an idea :)

[Firawla]

i dont work and my dc are not school age but i have seen holiday playschemes operating in quite a few places like leisure centres, community centres, adventure playground, i think some soft play do it too? seems an ok option

[GypsyMoth]

well we had a free easter playscheme this week....sports or arts and crafts

from 10 til 3 tho,so perhaps not much use

had it last summer for 2 weeks too.....parish council run....and did i say it was free lol!

[midnightexpress]

What wasabipeanut says. Most nurseries have after-school clubs which also organise holiday clubs for older children. Some will allow you to take odd days here and there, some insist on a minimum number of sessions, it varies. For example, ds1 spent last Friday and this Friday at ours so that I could finish off a job I'm working on atm (I'm freelance). They usually organise trips - cinema, parks, museums etc, and also spend some time at the 'base'. All our local nurseries do this. Local council often arrange playschemes too, but I think these tend to be a few hours rather than whole days?

Be warned though, it's not cheap - ours are about £25/day, so if you need it f/t it could work out very expensive for a whole summer holiday.

[nancy75]

contact your local council, they probably have a list of chilcare providers that operate schemes during the holidays. Be warned they are not cheap.
Could your parents do a couple of days each week , you take off a day each week and book him in for stuff the rest of the time?

[shanzu]

i take alot of unpaid leave and grandparents help out alot.

Up until the age of 5 your employer has to grant a total of 13 weeks (I think) parental leave. So if your child is one of the younger 1s, this may help, if they are otherwise unwilling to give you unpaid leave?