What are you supposed to do with your kids during the school holidays if you work ?

jcr16

i don't work , so i don't have to consider this.

but i have lots of friends who do work. and they rely on family, friends, holiday clubs and school, partners, work changing shifts etc etc. ask at your chils school if they can recommend anyone .

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daveyjp wrote: »

Parents also need to consider reduced hours to cover holidays - term time contracts etc.

Perhaps on the gravy train that is the public purse or in minimum wage jobs but in the commercial world that is just not practical.

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balletshoes wrote: »

nurseries take on extra staff during the school holidays (placements, volunteers etc) to run holiday clubs.

Our city council runs holiday activities every day for a minimal charge, but only for children age 8 and over. Until my daughter was that age, she went to a holiday playscheme run by her old nursery, which was expensive, but registered, so I did get help through tax credits to pay for it.

Age 4 so really looking at nursery type I'm afraid.

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spendingmad wrote: »

Loads of providers around here

The Council run holiday clubs in there sports centers ie football/trampolining/multi-sports etc.
After school clubs run holidays clubs
Drama clubs (stagecoach etc) run holidays club
childminders

Depends what your child is interested in but I am sure there are loads of options.

Do you only work school hours - will you be using before/after school clubs?

I think great for the older kids but the younger ones seem more of a "problem" as they need more attention.

elmer

You learn to Juggle

Make friends with your neighbours and do each other favours

Have your MIl to stay for a week :eek:

Find child care students at college looking for holiday work

and at a last resort a week off with the flu

Have done all of the above, now have teenagers and grey hair and my holidays are my own.

Good luck

Elmer

ladybez

While my children were younger,they went to a childminder in the holidays (except for a brief period when I had a Nanny) it is more of a problem now that they are older. DD2 is 15, won't go to childminders and is too old for most holiday courses. DS1&2 do still go to childminders but I try and arrange some sports/play activities for them. Biggest problem is the nearest sports scheme is headed up by DD1 and her employers won't allow siblings to attend,so they have to go further afield.

SkintGypsy

When I go back to work in Feb I am going to have this problem. My daughter is five and I think we will have to send her to stay with granny for the odd week here and there, since we don't have anyone nearby. I have barely spent three nights away from her in five years, so the thought of not seeing her for five days breaks my heart. Needs must though.

Kimberley82

lock them in the cupboard under the stairs

FatVonD

I was entitled to buy childcare vouchers at work so used to overbuy so I stored them up during the year to pay for 2 or 3 days per week at Supercamps (not sure of the web address, will look for it) during the long summer holidays and then take holiday for the other 2 days.

Now DS is old enough to stay home on his own for a few hours I take my holiday in half days so I have weeks when he's off where I get home at lunchtime. (I also forfeit a weeks pay, spread over the year, to buy an extra weeks holiday.)

Eureka:

http://www.supercamps.co.uk/
http://www.campbeaumont.co.uk/daycamps/?gclid=CLjfo6WYtKUCFVBO4QodhWq8Yg

bylromarha

You do what you have to and find a solution that works for you.

We have no family nearby.

We know several families who work shifts to cover school holidays.

We know of several people like us have taken a cut in wages and outgoings, and set up a work from home small business, to be able to do the majority school holiday care ourselves.

Our child minder has the kids one after school evening a week so that OH and I can work later than 3pm. Should we need her to, she's legally able to take the kids for school holidays - OFSTED have different rules for school age children ratios than pre schoolers.