Working / School holidays / Guilt!

[Babytalkobsession]

Hi,

Start of a new term and I'm feeling parental guilt as well as worry about what we're going to do for Childcare over future school holidays!

How do other families make it work? I work 3 days, DH 5 days. DC1 in preschool / nursery for those days (he's 4) and DC2 in nursery for all 3 days (he's 1).

We'll need to cover school holidays for preschool days this year and then he starts reception in September for my 3 working days.. We get an average amount of annual leave each and obviously would like some time when we're all off as a family.

Are holiday clubs suitable for 4/5 year olds? Are they 'work' hours - as in 8-5:30?

I'm panicking as just left my employer of 5 years where I'd earned a degree of flexibility and starting a new job / new employer next week.

Interested to hear how other families make it work -it seems everyone I know with young children is a teacher! Thanks

I'm a lone parent and I have always worked full time.

I usually send my DCs to their grandparents for the weeks I can't cover myself. Mine are older now (11 and 8) so will entertain themselves if I work from home.

I have also used holiday clubs (tennis, football etc) for days I can't do themselves.

Luckily they now see their dad too so I can use this in the hols too. It is hard, and I have the whole year planned already.

Not every holiday club will take 4 yr olds, might have to wait til 5

Our local holiday clubs only take 4 year olds for half days but they can do full days (8-6) from age 5.

So in DSs school reception year it was a bit tricky as he's summer born so holiday club would only take him for half days September to June (his birthday).

That year we used lots of annual leave covering school hols and I took 2 week's parental leave (unpaid but you have a statutory right to have it).

We don't have family or friends with similar ages kids locally but if you do, this could be an option for you?

Once he turned 5 it was fine and we used a mix of annual leave and holiday club to cover the hols.

My DC couldn’t go to local preschool as they were term time only. Both stayed at nursery until they started school. I had to get a childminder when DC1 started school. She turned out to be brilliant and had the DC some days in the holidays. Grandparents also help out.

One alternative to a childminder is an after school nanny (doesn't need to be a nanny, our previous one was a student doing a childcare course who wanted a part time role that fit around her studies, she was fab). They will usually be free for school hols too. Also gives you flexibility for taking kids to after school activities, which you're less likely to have with a CM.

We also use MiL (though she's 250 miles away so logistically probably only twice a year). Holiday clubs can be good provided they offer full days (lots are 10-3pm or similar) and are in a location that suits your commute.

Guilts a bit pointless. A SAHP is no more a perfect parent than a working one. There are no perfect parents.