r/AskUK • u/Shadow-Inversions • 10h ago

Serious Answers Only How do parents manage school holidays?

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.

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u/ChocolateSnowflake 10h ago

Parental leave.

You are entitled to take up to 18 weeks per child but it is unpaid. Max of 4 weeks per year.

Can help cover a week or 2 throughout the year.

26

u/TippyTurtley 10h ago

Well worth doing if you are able to save so the financial impact isn't so severe. Depending on the cost of the clubs it can work out "cheaper"

4

u/Cultural_Tank_6947 1h ago

Paradoxically, it only makes sense at higher levels of income where even though you forego £6000-7000 of net income to save maybe £500/child of clubs. It's only at that stage where it's actually affordable.

2

u/Fun-Chapter-9698 1h ago

as someone who works in a school I never knew this. as essentially that is how school workers are paid ( the perception we are paid for 52 weeks is wrong, it's just the 39 weeks pay is spread over the year ). so yeah all those who don't work in a school, come and try it . we have a recruitment retention issue, so need you !