Working mothers - what do you do with your children in the school holidays?

[rubles]

In a conversation last night, dp and I were talking about the practicalities of school for dd. I work currently and will continue to do so, but it is fine now because we have 49 weeks a year covered by a childminder/nursery.

What do we do when we have about 4 months a year of school holidays to cover? If you don't have grandparents to help, do you have childminders who will take your children just for the holidays??

Holiday clubs. We used to use the local sports centre club. They swam every day, had organised sports & other events. Not cheap but worth it compared to sitting around in the local council clubs.

We also used a church run club on a farm (Summer only) - a longer drive each day but a completely different experience.

Then MIL retired & stepped in, & now they are too old (15 & 11) so fend for themselves with me organising trips etc.

Some childminders do do hols only - but clubs are worth looking into - but get recommendations as they vary a lot in standards.

OK thanks, I'll do that.

we had a nanny up until a few weeks ago when we sacked her - story too long to go into, so am panicking about holidays too.... but have found a couple of agencies who will supply holiday nannies and someone suggested an add at the local college which has teacher training courses / nanny courses as hte student sobviously have same hols, will try that for summer definightly.

I went part-year to cover the holidays.
Don't have any family to call on.

We use a combination of school clubs/grandparents/taking time off ourselves.

This summer, of 6 weeks, I took 2 weeks off, 2 weeks he was booked into school clubs (but didn't want to go so I let him go to ILS in London instead), 1 week at my mums and 2 weeks staying with ils in London, so he wasn't here. dd was in nursery ft except when I had holiday.

Oct half term we have off, Feb half term he went to ILs. I intend to be more organised next year and make sure I book all half terms off and at least 2 weeks in the holidays.

I work PT but I am very lucky as I get 12 weeks holiday a year, and can chose when I use the, That still isn't enough to cover all of DD's school holidays (private school) plus making sure I can get to plays. assemblies, etc. but does cover a lot. For those I can't do PILs will help out (work PT) or my parents (my mum has flexi time). . If really stuck DH will use a holiday.

A lot of juggling basically.

Holiday clubs tend to be expensive or not too good and anyway that wouldn't help with DS#2 who is pre-school age. My CM is willing to have them one or 2 days tops - she's not really geared up for 9 yr olds. Grandparents might have them for a handful of day a year - they are 75 and three lively kids are too much of a handful. I work at home 2 days a week which helps. But apart from that it's DH not working (he has the flexibility as he's self-employed but doesn't obviously get paid) or me taking time off.

There are lots of clubs out there though, although they may need a little unearthing, and certainly around here a lot of nurseries run holiday clubs for school age children - you do need to start asking around and booking early though (and beware of sports type clubs where start time is 10 am and pick up 3 pm, unless you can share with a friend)

First of all we coincide all our holidays with school hols, but obviously that doesn't cover it, so then we use holiday clubs - we try and aim for something away from schools (leisure centre clubs or whatever) just so it's demonstrably different)

loshad - that is so annoying isn't it? Our wildlife trust runs activity days which are really good but they start at 10.30 and finish at about 3. So basically I can't book them into that unless DH or I have a day off.

My Cm who has dd after school, has her all through the holidays as well

My DD has just started primary. We've changed our working hours so that we pick her up 4 days a week. 1 day a week my cm picks her up - partly cos she's looked after her since she was 5 motnhs and I don't want my dd to lose contact with her and her family but also my cm has said happy to look after her during 1/2 terms and school hols.

i work on holiday schemes, the government has given them extra money to extend them from 9-5 to help, we do find though that parents aren't interested

Used to use childminder. Used a holiday club once = disaster, daughter too young but I had NO leave. So now work term-time only. Am very lucky to be allowed to do that.