What do you do during school holidays?

[inkstainedwretch]

This may be a dumb question, but we're new to the UK as well as new to having a child in school - our older one starts Reception in September. Compared to what I'm used to (in Canada), there seem to be very frequent school holidays. What do families with two working parents do with their children during these times? Not just summer, but all the half-term breaks as well as Inset days, Christmas holidays, etc?

do you not get half terms in Canada?

most inset days seem to be at the start or end of term or the start or end of half term. standard seems to be a week in October, 2 weeks at Christmas (obviously including the bank holidays which most companies give off as well), a week in February, 2 weeks at Easter including the bank holidays which most people get again, week in May (includes 1 day bank holiday which again people normally get off work) and then the summer is normally (at a state school in England) nearly 6 weeks and includes a bank holiday. Our school have 5 inset days during the year and seem to do 1 before term starts in Sept and the others are on the half terms to make them just over a week.

there are often holiday clubs of various sorts run by childcare providers which people use or they rely on their holiday from work/family members I think.

I work 4 days per week and get approx 20 days leave per year. hubby works full time and as he has been with the same employer for a long time gets 30 days holiday. We cover most inset days and holidays between us (only have one week off altogether per year) and need help to cover about 8 days per year. Last year a lady we know who works ina term time only nursery helped us, this year he is spending that time with his childminder. There are lots of of holiday clubs around too, run by commercial organisations and local councils. We seem to have made it work so far!

We get lots of leave between us (I get 35 days + bank holidays) and DH gets 40 + bank holidays. Anything we can't cover the boys go to a holiday club at the local school, which covers all inset days and school holidays.

Welcome to the uk.
The.school holiday cover is a juggling nightmare!
People rely on holiday clubs, childminders, friends, family and staggering allocated leave if both parents work.
Good luck

We use annual leave and holiday clubs. Finding a good holiday club was one of the best stress relievers! At first all I knew about were sports type things where the kids were left in a sports hall with some sports science students. Ok for a day or two but not the weeks on end I need. The place I use now takes the kids out on trips to great places. Childminder just for holidays is also an option.

We use a mixture of our lovely childminder , for slightly calmer more restful days , a holiday club run for primary kids at their old nursery, which takes the kids out for trips to commons "camping" or to the beach, bowling , even the cinema occasionally. These are great fun days but quite tiring. And there is a great sports camp at the local leisure centre where they do loads of sports, it's really good for 2 or 3 days in total over the whole holidays for a change, but everyday would be just too exhausting for my dcs.

As long as I book everything up at least a couple of months in advance, holidays are stress free and the kids enjoy them. But leave it late and everywhere local is fully booked.

And we are lucky to have a 2 week family holiday too.

Child care clubs.

Over the summer DD will be going to a mix of multisports, gymnastics, ballet, dancing camp and summer school. Plus week with grandma and me and DH a few days off.

DD does alot of afterschool activities and most of these offer holiday childcare.

Alot are by word of mouth - some put flyers in school bags. Also speak to other mums at school and work. Be proactive and get sorted early - by May I had summer planned. They take from age 5.

I find summer the easiest - lots of choice so i'm only having 3 days off - save annual leave for other times.

I find childcare also runs in half terms.

The trickiest times are inset days and hols that are out of step with the norm eg DD gets 2 weeks in October. We go away then as there is no childcare the first week of the hols as other schools only get 1 week..

Local nursery also runs a holidayclub.

Going rate here (East lancashire) is £10/£12 a day 9-3.

If your employers offer childcare vouchers sign up - you can save them all year and use to pay hol childcare - saves the tax and NI.

I am a teacher now so it's not a problem.

Back in the day, DH and I both worked four days a week so that sorted two days; we would take holiday as sparingly as possible (just 2 weeks off together) so that sorted about 8 weeks; then the rest was covered by holiday clubs in the summer, swapping days with another mum (tricky with 3 DC but possible); time with Gran or Grandma.

I agree it's tricky - there's no easy answer, like much of parenting it is a juggling act.