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.

Hi everyone.

Thanks for all the responses. It’s very helpful…. For the most part. I’ll have a look into childminders and the likes. And I’ll speak to nursery but I think that I doubtful as they have a very lengthy waiting list.

There have been afew negative comments that I feel are very unwarranted. The annual leave calender which runs April to April opened I think three weeks ago. While I was on annual leave ironically! There used to be a system where everyone got a priority 2 weeks booking then once every had their 2 weeks the rest of the allowance was booked in first come first served. However it appears that was scrapped this year and i found out when I returned to work to see the folder fully booked. I have also never said a parent should get priority and I completely understand it has to be fair and I do not get a say in how and when others wish to book their time. I just can’t help but feel that the way the annual leave booking has ran this year is unfair. But there you go. I do not begrudge any of my collegues time off. I just feel a bit ‘pity party’ about my own situation.l, so your wonderfully negative and unjustified comments helped tremendously!

@PostmanPatAlwaysRingsTwice great, if she hasn't left it too late then she can book the weeks she wants. Oh, wait...

In a previous job l co-ordinated rotas and annual leave. Drove me insane when people weren't organised and then tried to make it my problem, l couldn't leave the team short staffed by over-booking leave. My hands were tied as l couldn't offer preferential treatment to anyone or left myself wide open to a grievance so it was first come, first served

@Namechangean the leave calender runs April to April. It opened 3 weeks ago while I was on annual leave. I returned and was all booked. So I don’t think I left it last minute. Luckily I don’t need summer leave this year as she doesn’t start til September. But live and learn for the future I guess. I also never said I mt priorities where any more important then my colleagues. I completely understand everyone is entitled to equal time off no matter their situation! As I said in my original post.

Honestly it is tricky. We have used childminders, holiday clubs, ( term time nursery ran a holiday club which was great for us) grandparents and separate leave at various times. Mine are now older, I still need leave in school holidays but I don’t need as much as they can be left home alone.

@WhatFreshHellisThese i haven’t ask for preferential treatment. The calender year and holiday booking has literally just opened so how is that leaving it last minute? Also in the previous 6 years I have worked there there had been a system where everyone booked their preferred 2 weeks leave first. Then after everyone who wanted to booked their 2 ‘main’ weeks the rest of the allowance was open to book. This was to make it fair to those who wherent on shift the week the calender opened. Then this year that changed but no one was told. I just found out when I returned to work too see that alonost everyone had booked their leave. So I hardly think that is lack of planning from my part. I was planning on booking a couple of weeks and then figuring out the rest with my partner. So i feel your comment very very judgemental and unjustified x

@TheHerboriste please read my original post again. I tried to make it very clear that I know my needs do not trump anyone else’s. Children, no children, single parent etc. to try to avoid snotty replies like yours. I understand every is entities to their own leave and can chose how and when to book. I’m just feeling sorry for myself and fuck you replies like yours are just not what I came here for, which was genuine advise and maybe a little empathy from fellow parents. Also if you read my replies you will see is not through lack of planning. All I have thought of for the last 6 months is making annual leave work for sickness and childcare but what can I do if the booking protocol changed while I was off and I wasn’t informed….

also In regards to quality time. For alternate shifts to work it would be for the full 7 days. As in I would have to work every weekend and we would have every day off separate. So we would not spend any time together as our shift would be exactally opposite. All week. Every week!

@Bababear987 @Cabbagefamily same for your snippy replies.

For everyone else who has replied with genuine and helpful advise and reccomdations and I’m truely thankful and not as panicky bow as I have some options to explore. Thanks 🙏 x

https://www.gov.uk/parental-leave

Would this help you?

When my daughter was that age she actually went back to her old nursery/pre-school for some of the holidays. Could that be an option?

What do you mean by the last part of your final sentence? In what way have parents chosen not to plan better?

The leave booking system sounds discriminatory against part timers. If it hadn’t been publicised that the system had changed I would raise both those 2 points in writing and escalate it with HR.

Do you have to be at work - physically - to book leave? Can't it be done online? That would solve issues for part timers and people on leave when booking is opened.

I’m very sorry but the few negative comments on this thread have made me feel like a complete failure as a mother. I came here for some advise on childcare. I tried to plan the best I could but to made to feel like I don’t plan and it’s my fault because I didn’t go into my work place the day the leave calendar opened to book 2 weeks off is just so unkind from fellow parents who have been through this before. I didn’t leave it to last minute. I tried to book 2 weeks, when the calender opened on my first shift that the leave folder had opened. But it had already all been booked. The protocol for booking had changed and I wasn’t aware.

I’m not a monster. I don’t believe my needs are more important than anyone else’s, no matter the circumstances. I have been part of an established team for over 6 years. I highly respect my collegues and do not begrudge them any well earned time off! We are a very hard working team and I’m happy there. I’m allowed to feel hard done by but I do not expect others to bend for me. I genuinely just wanted some advise on childcare from people who have gone through the minefield of school holidays. And a little rant to parents who would understand.

It's an absolute juggle isn't it! I have a 4yo and 2yo so am just a bit ahead of you. I feel my 4yo is a bit young for holiday clubs so we've found a couple of student babysitters to help in the holidays. One lives next door with her parents and is studying to become a teacher so is fab with kids. The other is 6th form, we found on a local Facebook group, her mum is a childminder so she's been around toddlers her whole life. My son loves then both and they usually do low key things like go to the park or cafe for an outing. X

It is a hard juggle - A few suggestions;
Au pair/trusted teenager to care for and entertain your DC.
Temporary nanny
grandparents
Share childcare with another family and help them in return.

How do you think your child is going to become confident if you don’t allow them to experience new things? 🧐

@MostlyHappyMummy you have to be physically at work. They are supposed to be changing to online but haven’t done it yet. This year it is literally just a calender in a folder and you put your own name down until the max people have booked. Completely different to how it has been the last 6+ years. I should have put more detail in my first post but I know it was already very lengthy. At least I know better for next April. X

Ask the nursery if they could take her. But I'd also try your colleagues and see if anyone would be willing to swap a few days at Christmas so you ar least get some family time.

ignore the negative comments. Completely understand - and you’re not a failure as a mother.

One thing worth pointing out (and I mean this to be helpful now, rather than adding to your woes!) is that your primary may stagger your DD’s start - as in, she may not go straight into full time, all day education. Ours had a three-week ease in period where they went in for two hours in the morning, then until lunchtime, then including lunch, and only then were they in the whole day.
It was a bloody nightmare, especially as our kids had been in nursery 10 hours a day since they were 9 months old….

So bear in mind for early September! X

I will also add I asked several times in December and January when the annual leave calender for 25/26 would open as I need to plan childcare and was told by my seniors they would let the team know when it’s opening. They didn’t. They just sent us all a message saying it was open. Didn’t mention they weren't doing the 2 week system anymore so I didn’t feel the need to rush in and book as I would book my initial 2 weeks on my return the following week.

It is a juggling act, and you have my sympathies.

Could you take unpaid leave? Might work out cheaper or the same as forking out for holiday childcare.

Long term, I'd be looking for a new job. The way annual leave is divvied up won't work for you, unless your employers change it. This holiday headache will crop up every year.

How on earth do they run from April to April? This surely means that no-one can book their summer holiday before this time and then everything is booked up!
However, I digress, yes you and your husband will need to tag this; he will have to book some time off; and you will have to apply for unpaid leave for some.
Speak with friends as they may have ideas - or you could take it in turns to look after each others' children to spread the load?

@PrayForMyBum thanks!!

oh I know about the staggered start. As there was no school holiday leave left I did actually book the first 2 weeks of September off as I’m the only one with a child starting school this sept so I guess no one else needed those weeks off. There is only my name on those weeks! 🙈🙈🙈🙈

@Needspaceforlego thanks. I’m mine and my partners jobs we actually aren’t allowed to book any time off Christmas and new year so we are well versed In making sure we are on alternative shifts for childcare and I’m used to working every Christmas. I was just hoping we wouldn’t have to do alternative shifts every school holiday as it’s really hard going. I really wanted to use some annual leave and alternate the remain weeks. Oh well. I’m sure we will figure it out. Thanks so much to you and everyone else for taking the time to reply x