No annual leave left during school holiday and no childcare

[ExcitingTimes2023]

Hi!

I was hoping someone could advise on what they do in this situation.

I have 2 children, a 18 month old and a 3 year old. My eldest is an august baby and she goes to school this September. The annual leave calender for this coming year opened a couple of weeks ago, I went to book some time off to cover some (not all) of the school holidays. I understand it has to be fair so I was hoping to book a couple of weeks and my partner we do the same. And we could request alternate shifts the remaining weeks to ensure one of us are home with the children (both shift workers).

However already there is no annual leave during the school holidays left so I’m not sure what we are going to do for childcare. Like I said we could request alternate shifts but I’m not sure our departments would honour that every single school holiday week, and it would mean we spend no time together as a family. I understand it has to be fair and I wasn’t expecting to have all the time off during the holidays but to get zero weeks off during my child’s first 6 months of school just seams a bit unfair. I spoke to my senior who was sympathetic but couldn’t help.

now I know there are holiday clubs and when my child is a bit older I’m sure she would manage but she is very shy and reserved at the moment and very nervous in new settings and hates places which was really noisy, so I’m not keen to use these until she is a little more confident in herself. I also have a younger child to drop off at nursery so logistics would be a nightmare to get to work on time. What other options are available childcare wise during the holidays? or am I just going to have to come to terms with alternate shifts and no quality family time during holidays?

Im just feeling a bit gutted as my first child starting school is overwhelming as it is without having to worry about this. If she was one of these confident children that just gets on with everyone I wouldn’t be worrying so much but I just know my daughter! Next year I’m literally going to be stood at the annual leave folder the second it opens to get a good few weeks booked!

Not that it matters as everyone is entitled to book their annual leave when suits them, but at least half of the school holiday leave has been booked by people with no children or people who’s children have fled the nest so I guess that adds to why I feel so deflated. but I’m trying to remind myself that I don’t get a say when or why other people need to use their leave. Trying to stay impartial is hard though.

Sorry to play devils advocate here but I think parents SHOULD get priority in school holidays 🤷‍♀️

I don’t agree. Everyone should have the same chance of their preferred holiday slot. I am not going to need school holidays any more after next April and I’ll be delighted to book different dates but some people are married to teachers for example or it’s their preference to go away at those times for other reasons

what about employees without children, they can’t go on holiday in August? Thankfully employers know better than to prefer one group of employees over another.

Holiday prices mean nobody would take school holidays of unless they actually need too.
Either because partner or friends who they want to holiday with are restricted to school holidays or extended family grandchildren, neices or nephews.

However I don't think Ops employer is being fair to her. And I do think she should look elsewhere.

Yeah. You can't tell a parent of a school aged child that they can't have ANY time off at all during the school holidays because other people have got there first, and then subsequently approve someone else's request for time off during the school holidays and accept being short staffed. That's just not on. And they should limit everyone to booking two weeks during the school holidays until everyone has had a chance to book their main holiday dates, before allowing people to then make further bookings, to avoid the greedy gannets ready and waiting at 9am on the day the system opens taking all of it and leaving none for others.

I dont agree about preference. I am august born so before kids I would always ask to take my birthday off. It wouldn't be fair if I couldn't do that.... however now with kids I do understand how hard it is to cover the school holidays and how expensive it is.... I really wish this information was more available to people planning on kids maybe even taught in schools about cosy of living and how to save etc.

It’s not up to a school to teach adults how to save up for things they want. Information on the cost of living, different types of savings and childcare benefits is all over the internet.

Eh! Working opposite shifts means they aren't paying for childcare. But that also means they aren't getting time of as a family to do things together. And God knows when the nightshift parent sleeps!

Nor can saving cover costs of childcare if childcare places aren't available.

But you'd expect you'd get to use some annual leave to cover holidays too. And actually enjoy having children

Would be wonderful if schools could teach how to be like Mystic Meg, predict a pandemic that caused lots of childcare providers to close. Along with WFH reducing demand then an increase in demand as people returning to offices but supply being slow to catch up!

Then throw in increased pre-school nursery hours and lots of staff opting to work more regular hours in pre-schools than do wrap around school care!

This, started a new job recently and already getting emotional blackmail and comments from the two women with children to discourage me from bidding for leave in school holiday periods. They assume Christmas, Easter, half term and prime summer periods are theirs. Fuck that.