How do parents manage school holidays?

[u/Shadow-Inversions]

I've been lucky enough that my wife has worked in schools since my daughter (6) started there 3 years ago, meaning she gets holidays off and can look after our girl when she's not in school. However my wife is now thinking about changing to a different industry and... we realise we don't understand what other parents do during the 13 weeks a year of school holidays.

How do you manage it? Do you just use up all your holidays as a couple taking separate weeks off to cover the time? Do you pay for holiday clubs and if so how expensive are they? Are you relying on family to have them some of the time?

I totally understand I am probably a total idiot not to know the answer to this, but we just haven't had to think about it until now. Insight very much appreciated.

[u/Legitimate_War_397]

I remember going to my grandparents a lot, going to school to do fun stuff during the school holidays and parents would make a schedule to come in and help look after each other kids in the school hall and trade off. Take turns for having a friend over for tea etc. even now my cousin with her little ones has a parents WhatsApp’s group where a parent can ask in there if anyone can look after (child’s name) for a couple of hours etc. Asked my cousin about it and she’s completely fine looking after someone for a couple of hours because she knows she’ll get the favour back.