Petition to change summer school holidays

[Kellykt]

Please read and see the sense of the petition.

https://www.change.org/p/reduce-summer-holidays-for-schools/sfs/copy/1386960292?recruiter=1386960292&recruited_by_id=4678b200-876f-11f0-a60a-cdc055e4640a&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard_share_modal&utm_medium=copylink

I would hate a shorter summer - the children need family time and that long break stretching ahead, such great memories, I would be for a slightly longer day so that October could be 2 weeks, some families would go away then instead of Summer and that term is so long and wet, children are really done after 6 weeks, 7 at a push, this year it’s 8 weeks for mine and I’m dreading it already

edited for a comma after wet!

Sorry, my kids are exhausted by the end of the school year and the difference in them after a long and relaxed summer holiday is very obvious!

Shorter holidays are to benefit working parents, which is fine, but please don’t try to imply that it’s for the good of the children.

Yes my two (secondary) are knackered by the middle of July, they're now rested and relaxed. we've done fun stuff and now they're ready to go back but they wouldn't if the holidays are shorter..

I’m just telling you that’s what we say…

Munster/South Leinster is the South of Ireland. It’s not called Southern Ireland either, just like you’d say Galway was in the West of Ireland rather than in Western Ireland.

I do wish people would stop saying Southern Ireland. It’s annoying simply because it’s the wrong name. It’s not the name of the country. I know people just don’t know and don’t mean anything by it, but it’s just Ireland, or ROI for clarity if there could be confusion with NI as in this case.

I know, but would you consider changing now that you know? Please? It’s frustrating when someone keeps getting your name wrong 😅 ROI is fine as is Ireland (the official name) although I know there can be sensitivities about the latter in NI for some.

I don't agree. My ds works hard all school year, culminating in exams.

I want him to have time to de-stress. I want him to have weeks and weeks of cycling and swimming and relaxing with his mates, enjoying the good weather.

There is no point having more weeks off while the weather is vile.

Also, I couldn’t sign anyway as I’m in the wrong place but we love the long summers. My kids (secondary) are just back after 3 months. Sorry OP.

No.

May I ask why @Cluborange666?

Yes, I've always worked full time and am a single mum.

I found booking my holidays for the whole 12 months at the beginning of the year was best. Organising myself around the school year. Book holiday club as soon as booking opens. It gives you the greatest choice. Look at the council ones as well as the commercial SuperCamps types.

Work with other mums to share care, or pick-ups and drop-offs..

I changed job to be less than 15 minutes from the school where the ASC and the holiday club were held. The last few days of the holiday, I used to take as leave and do haircuts etc.

There are two of you, it shouldn't be too hard.

If anything, UK should have longer summer holidays for school, mid June to mid September. OP I hope you understand school isn't for childcare, it's for education.

Why would you intentionally use an incorrect name for a country?

(Sigh) It’s just what people in NI say. There’s no point in saying ‘in Ireland’ because we are in Ireland, so we say “the South” or, jokingly, “Mexico”. Just as in England, people talk about the North or the South. That’s why.

@Cluborange666 The South is fine, but pp said Southern Ireland rather than the South…and that’s like rechristening the country.

There was a Southern Ireland briefly after the partition of Ireland and it was intended to remain part of the UK. So there are historical reasons too why some people don’t want to use the name, but mostly it’s because it’s not the right one. I know people in GB sometimes think it is (because there’s already a NI) and it can be confusing.

I know I sound mad now, but if Irish people started saying things on MN like ‘I visited London, it’s in Northern England’ we’d get pushback soon enough I’d say. Yet you often hear things like ‘my grandmother is from Sligo in Southern Ireland’ which is exactly the same error. So I’ll join you in that sigh 😅
(Even the South of Ireland, eg Cork, isn’t called Southern Ireland, the term just isn’t used here.)

Also disagree

Only 8 people have signed.

And the OP is so committed to the cause, she did return after the first post.

Another click bait, AI generated post.

I completely agree with OP. Majority of comments come from those who have the privilege to spend the time with their children. There must be a huge impact to GDP during August as many have to take leave, often unpaid leave.
Your other option is to send them to costly summer clubs which fall way below the standards of any school.
We all see those children who struggle to return after such a long time away from routine which is heartbreaking but the main concern for me is what happens to those children who do not have a supportive home life. Children at risk where schools provide vital safe guarding and protection. Why is this so important then suddenly not an issue when everyone would like a 6 week break. It is an outdated system which is only convenient to the privileged.

The very long gone OP didn't advocate for school holidays to be reduced in total. There's mention of more frequent and shorter breaks throughout the year, ie a redistribution. With that in mind, parents who need to use holiday childcare will require exactly the same amount, only at different times. Same with unpaid leave.

Speaking of privileged, what about the kids from households in heating poverty? July and August are two of the warmer months. If we move any of the holidays, it's likely to be to a colder month, thus an increase in the number of children spending more time in underheated environments with the associated health risks.